Excavation & Earthmoving SWMS: Cheatsheet with 20 hazard & controls (Free PDF)
Covers service location, machine excavation, trench support and backfill for bulk earthworks and trenching. No signup, no email required.
Hazards & controls
1. Trench or excavation collapse
- ✓ Protective system (shoring, battering or benching) designed for depth and soil type
- ✓ No entry to excavations over 1.5 metres without a protective system
- ✓ Spoil and materials kept back from the excavation edge
- ✓ Daily inspection by a competent person before entry
2. Contact with underground services during machine excavation
- ✓ Dial Before You Dig search completed and results on site
- ✓ Hand potholing within 500mm of any marked service before machine digging
- ✓ Standby spotter during all machine excavation near services
3. Powered mobile plant movement (excavators, trucks, loaders)
- ✓ Exclusion zones maintained around operating plant
- ✓ No ground personnel inside the machine swing radius
- ✓ Reversing alarms fitted and spotters used for all reversing movements
4. Fall into an open excavation
- ✓ Barricades or hoarding placed around open excavations
- ✓ Covers fitted over unattended holes and trenches
- ✓ Edge protection used where the public or other trades are nearby
5. Confined space hazards in deep or enclosed excavations
- ✓ Excavation assessed for confined space classification before entry
- ✓ Atmospheric testing conducted before entry into deep or enclosed excavations
- ✓ Confined space permit and standby person used where required
- ✓ Rescue plan and equipment in place before entry
6. Contact with energised underground electrical cables
- ✓ Dial Before You Dig results cross-checked with a cable locator before digging near marked electrical services
- ✓ Excavation near known electrical services treated as live until proven isolated
- ✓ Hand digging only within the exclusion zone of marked electrical services
- ✓ Standby person present while electrical services are exposed
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7. Strike on pressurised gas mains or piping
- ✓ Gas authority notified and asset owner consulted before excavating near gas mains
- ✓ Hand exposure only within the tolerance zone of marked gas services
- ✓ Work stopped and area evacuated immediately if a gas line is struck or damaged
8. Contaminated or flammable atmosphere in excavations
- ✓ Atmosphere tested before entry into low-lying or enclosed excavations
- ✓ Excavations in known contaminated ground assessed before work starts
- ✓ No ignition sources permitted where a flammable atmosphere is possible
9. Rollover of excavators or loaders on unstable or sloping ground
- ✓ Ground conditions assessed for load-bearing capacity and slope before machine access
- ✓ Machines operated within manufacturer-rated slope limits
- ✓ Batters and stockpiles kept clear of machine travel paths
- ✓ ROPS-fitted machines used with seatbelts worn at all times
10. Struck by plant during truck loading and spotting
- ✓ Exclusion zone maintained around loading trucks
- ✓ Spotter used for all truck positioning and loading movements
- ✓ Truck drivers remain in the cab or a designated safe area during loading
11. Manual handling of shoring, pipes and fittings
- ✓ Mechanical lifting or machine assistance used for heavy shoring components and pipe sections
- ✓ Team lifts used for awkward or heavy items
- ✓ Materials staged close to the point of use to limit carry distance
12. Water ingress and drowning risk in flooded excavations
- ✓ Dewatering pumps used to remove standing water before entry
- ✓ Excavation re-inspected for wall stability after dewatering
- ✓ No entry permitted into water-filled excavations
13. Undermining of adjacent structures, footpaths or services
- ✓ Excavation depth and proximity to adjacent structures assessed before digging
- ✓ Engineer consulted where excavation may undermine footings or structures
- ✓ Ground movement monitored near existing structures during excavation
- ✓ Temporary support installed where an undermining risk is identified
14. Overhead powerline contact with excavator boom or tipper truck
- ✓ Overhead clearance checked and no-go zones established before machine setup
- ✓ Tipper truck tray lowered before moving near overhead lines
- ✓ Spotter used when machines operate near powerlines
15. Traffic and public interface hazards adjacent to roadways
- ✓ Traffic management plan implemented for work adjacent to roadways
- ✓ Signage, barriers and delineation used to separate the public from the excavation
- ✓ Trained traffic controllers used where required by the traffic management plan
16. Noise exposure from excavators, compactors and machinery
- ✓ Hearing protection worn for all high-noise plant operation
- ✓ Task rotation used to limit individual exposure duration
- ✓ Machines maintained to manufacturer specification to limit noise output
17. Whole-body vibration from prolonged machine operation
- ✓ Seat suspension and machine maintenance checked regularly
- ✓ Operator hours on vibration-prone machines rotated between crew
- ✓ Breaks scheduled during extended machine operation
18. Silica dust exposure from dry excavation, rock breaking or crushing
- ✓ Water suppression used during dry excavation, rock breaking or crushing
- ✓ P2 respirator worn where dust suppression is not sufficient
- ✓ Dust-generating tasks scheduled away from other workers where practical
19. Heat stress and UV exposure working outdoors
- ✓ Hydration breaks scheduled during hot conditions
- ✓ Sun-protective clothing, hat and sunscreen used for outdoor work
- ✓ Shade provided during breaks
- ✓ Work rescheduled to cooler parts of the day where practical
20. Slips, trips and falls on uneven or spoil-covered ground
- ✓ Site access routes kept clear of spoil, materials and equipment
- ✓ Appropriate footwear worn for uneven ground conditions
- ✓ Excavated material stockpiled away from walkways and access points
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Excavation & Earthmoving SWMS Cheatsheet
All 20 hazards & controls for bulk earthworks, trenching and site excavation, laid out as a printable one-pager for your site file.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a SWMS?
A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is a legally required document for high-risk construction work. It sets out the job steps, the hazards involved, and the controls you'll use to manage them before work starts.
Do I need a SWMS for bulk earthworks, trenching and site excavation?
If the work falls into one of the 18 high-risk construction work categories under the WHS Regulations, a SWMS is mandatory before work can start. This template is pre-mapped to the categories that typically apply to excavation & earthmoving work of this kind.
Is this template really free?
Yes. Join with your Google account in 10 seconds, no card required, and it's saved to your account ready to customise, publish and get signed by your crew online.
Can I use this template as-is?
Treat it as a starting point, not a finished document. Every site is different — add your site-specific hazards, confirm the controls suit the actual job, and have it reviewed before workers sign it.
This template is a starting point only. Review and adapt it for your actual site conditions before use — it is not a substitute for a competent person's own risk assessment.