1. Maintaining Trench and Excavation Safety
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Trench and excavation safety in the construction industry is something that workers should be
trained on in order to evade tragedy. In order to work safely in the vicinity of trenches or
excavations employers and employees need to identify hazards associated with trenching and
excavation work, assess risks and eliminate or minimise those risks before, during and after the
performance of work. Trenches and excavations biggest risk is the possibility of collapse due to
instability.
Before beginning work in a trench, excavation or confined space on a construction site workers
should perform a review to determine whether it is absolutely necessary to work in the
trench/excavation, confined space.
Consider substituting the trench/excavation work with less hazardous work activities.
If it is not possible to eliminate the hazard, workers who are required to work from within the
confined space need to first gain permission from authorities on site before entering the space.
Workers should be wearing the appropriate PPE, provided by the employer, whose
responsibility it is to also provide appropriate training on the PPE’s correct use.
Ensure engineering controls are in place to separate other workers from the hazard. Employers
should maintain supervision, compile rosters and do whatever is required to ensure safety is
maintained in the confined space.
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2. Construction White Card Australia
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