AshviewConsultants: Excavation Inspections

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Excavation Inspections

It is a requirement of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 that a risk assessment be carried out in relation to activities being undertaken by persons at a place of work and that a safe system of work be prepared and implemented to protect employees and persons engaged or affected by the activities taking place at a place of work.
The common hazards associated with excavation works are:

contact with underground services
contact with overhead lines
collapse of the excavation's sides
materials falling onto people working in the excavation
people and vehicles falling into the excavation
people being struck by plant
undermining of nearby structures
ground water
soil
access to the excavation
fumes
accidents to members of the public.

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 require that anyone in an excavation deeper than 1.25 meters be protected from dislodgement of the sides of the excavation. Once you have identified what the risks are, you must put in place a plan to effectively manage those risks.

Supervision
A competent person must supervise the installation, alteration or removal of excavation support.

Excavation works on a road, footpath or cycletrack must be supervised by a competent person who has been issued wit h a valid construction skills registration card for the guarding and signing of roadworks.
People working in excavations should be given clear instructions, through training, on how to work safely.

Inspection and Examination of Excavations

All excavations must be inspected by a competent person at least once in every day during which persons are at work in the excavations.
Every excavations more than 2 metres deep must be inspected by a competent person at the commencement of every shift.
A thorough examination of the excavation must be carried out at least every 7 days. (Details placed on AF3 form)

The Following is a checklist of actions the Ashview Consultants can provide when carrying out excavation work:

A risk assessment must be completed, identifying all the hazards associated with the works
A safe system of work (H S A Excavation sheet) must be completed and communicated to the work force
Supervision of works
Inspection & Examination, and completion of periodic inspection AF3

Contact Details

A:	Unit D1, Wicklow Enterprise Centre, The Murrough, Wicklow Town
P:	053 9484017
M:	087 6244199
E:	info@ashviewconsultants.ie

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