Excavation Support & Safety
Why excavations collapse, when the ground needs support, and how to choose, install and remove trench support safely. Covers groundwater, confined spaces and lifting.
No ground can be relied on to support its own weight for any length of time, and just 1m³ of soil weighs around 1.3 tonnes. A small fall of earth can cause serious injury, even when it doesn’t kill.
This course shows your dig teams why excavations collapse, when ground support is needed, and how to install and remove it safely. It covers trench and manhole boxes, sheets and frames, hydraulic systems and waler walls, plus temporary works design, groundwater, confined spaces, lifting and inspections, with real case studies.
Who should attend
Groundworkers, drainage gangs, plant operators, banksmen, supervisors and site managers who dig, support or work near excavations.
What you will learn
- Explain why ground support is needed and the risks of collapse, falling materials and traumatic asphyxia.
- Know when an excavation needs support, and why “only over 1.2m” is a myth.
- Recognise the main proprietary support systems and when each one is suitable.
- Understand what a temporary works designer needs to know before kit is ordered.
- Know when an excavation becomes a confined space and what controls are needed.
- Check, inspect and record excavations and support equipment correctly.
Course content
What we cover
- Why support the ground. How soil behaves, collapses, falling materials, people and plant falling in, and traumatic asphyxia.
- When support is required. Battering back to a safe angle versus shoring, and protecting workers, the public, property and services.
- Proprietary systems. Trench and manhole boxes and the dig and push method, sheets, frames and struts, hydraulic systems and waler walls.
- Temporary works design. Excavation size and depth, ground information and borehole logs, surcharge loads, plant, services and adjacent structures.
- Groundwater. Free draining with sump pumps, excluding water with interlocking sheets, and dewatering by wellpointing.
- Confined spaces. When an excavation becomes a confined space, entry permits, gas monitoring and rescue arrangements.
- Lifting and inspection. Safe lifting of boxes, lift plans, and checking equipment on arrival and every day.
- Case studies. Good and bad site examples, and an HSE prosecution after a worker was killed by an excavator bucket in a trench.
Assessment & certificate
Delegates who complete the course receive an OccuSafe certificate, valid for 3 years.
Why it matters
Every year people are killed or seriously injured when excavations collapse. Trained dig teams plan support properly, spot danger early and make sure everyone goes home safe.
Book this course for your team.
Send the number of operatives and your site location. We’ll come back with dates and a price.