Chapter 15 Excavations and piling

Most types of construction project will require some excavation works. There are many safety hazards thrown up by excavation work; these are both directly as a result of the works (state of the excavation sides, sufficient support for the loads imposed, groundwater ingress, surcharges from adjacent loads) and indirectly from the working area (access, presence of contaminants, confined spaces, falls from height, buried structures), and all have to be considered when undertaking an excavation.

Hazards are inherent in piling works; the safety hazards posed by these works such as noise and vibration, working near plant/machinery, working at height, manual handling, mechanical lifting and concrete handling, are discussed.

The Designer plays a role in reducing hazards by the design they choose. Safety hazards need to be assessed and planning and sequencing of works undertaken to allow the various control measures to be implemented and to prevent hazardous work becoming dangerous work.