When this template fits
If a principal contractor or client has asked for an excavation method statement before you break ground, this is the RAMS to hand them. It is written for groundworks gangs carrying out bulk and reduced-level dig on building plots, road and infrastructure works, where machines and people share the same ground. The reviewer wants to see that you have designed the excavation for stability and kept the plant/pedestrian interface controlled, not just listed generic excavation hazards.
What this RAMS includes
- ✓ 9 task-specific hazards scored on a 5×5 matrix (initial → residual)
- ✓ Specific control measures for each hazard, in hierarchy-of-control order
- ✓ A 10-step method statement (sequence of works)
- ✓ PPE, plant/equipment, permits and competence requirements
- ✓ Emergency arrangements and operative briefing / sign-off section
Scope of works
Mechanical/hand excavation incl. collapse and services risk.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-excavation planning: obtain utility records from all relevant asset owners, conduct CAT and Genny survey, complete ground investigation, produce dewatering plan and select excavation support system. Competent person to review and sign off method statement.
- 2Site set-up and segregation: establish physical separation of plant and pedestrian routes, erect signage, appoint banksman, position welfare facilities and first-aid resources. Brief all operatives with toolbox talk covering excavation-specific risks.
- 3Mark all identified underground services on the ground surface using spray paint and flags. Display utility drawings in site cabin and on operative briefing sheets.
- 4Commence mechanical excavation using appropriate plant operated by CPCS/NPORS-competent operator. Maintain exclusion zone around machine swing radius. Switch to hand excavation within 500 mm of identified or suspected services using insulated tools.
- 5As excavation proceeds, install excavation support (trench box, hydraulic shoring or equivalent) progressively to maintain ground support at all times. Install dewatering pump if groundwater encountered.
- 6Erect edge protection (barriers, mid-rails, toe-boards) around all open excavation edges immediately after opening. Provide secured ladder access at appropriate intervals for worker entry and exit.
- 7Before any worker enters the excavation, a competent person inspects the excavation for signs of instability, water ingress and gas risk. For deep or enclosed excavations meeting confined space criteria, follow the confined space permit procedure including atmospheric testing.
- 8During excavation works, carry out continuous monitoring: competent person inspects at start of each shift and after any event affecting stability; atmospheric monitoring ongoing in any confined-space excavation; plant pre-use checks recorded daily.
- 9On completion of each phase of work, cover or backfill open excavations. Remove excavation support only as backfill proceeds and in sequence approved by competent person. Reinstate ground and remove edge protection and barriers.
- 10Debrief and record: complete inspection records, report any service strikes, near-misses or ground movement incidents. Update risk assessment and method statement if conditions changed during works.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Excavation or trench collapse
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Design work methods to avoid workers entering excavations deeper than 1.2 m without ground support. Use long-reach mechanical plant to excavate from surface where practicable.
- › Use trench boxes, hydraulic shoring, drag boxes or sheet piling as required. Support system must be designed or selected by a competent person based on soil investigation data and depth.
- › A competent person must inspect the excavation at the start of each shift, after any event that may have affected stability (e.g. rainfall, plant movement), and record findings. Work must stop if unsafe conditions are found.
- › Keep heavy plant, stockpiles and vehicles away from the excavation edge. Minimum 1 m no-load zone; distance increases per competent person's assessment of surcharge loading.
Contact with underground services during excavation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Conduct a Cable Avoidance Tool (CAT) and signal generator (Genny) sweep of the work area before any ground-breaking. Operator must be trained and competent.
- › Request statutory undertaker drawings from all relevant asset owners before work. Confirm records on site as drawings may not reflect as-built positions.
- › Once services are located, hand dig using insulated tools within a 500 mm exclusion zone each side of the marked service position. Do not use mechanical plant within this zone.
- › Mark located service positions with spray paint and flags before excavation. Brief all operatives at toolbox talk; display utility drawings in site cabin.
Plant and vehicle collision with pedestrians or workers
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Establish physically separated pedestrian and plant routes using barriers and signage. No worker to enter the plant swing radius while machine is operating.
- › A trained and clearly identified banksman must direct plant movements in areas of restricted visibility or where workers are in proximity. Use two-way radio where line of sight is limited.
- › All plant operators must hold relevant CPCS/NPORS card or equivalent. Conduct daily plant pre-use checks and record. Defects to be reported and remedied before use.
Confined space atmosphere hazard
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Design out the need to enter deep, enclosed or poorly ventilated excavations. Where unavoidable, follow the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 permit-to-enter procedure.
- › Use calibrated multi-gas detector to test for oxygen level, flammable gas, CO and H2S before entry. Continuous monitoring during occupation. Work stops immediately if alarm activates.
- › A written emergency rescue plan must be in place before entry commences. Trained rescue team with rescue equipment on standby. Non-entry rescue method (tripod/winch) to be used in preference to rescue entry.
Fall into excavation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Install substantial edge protection (minimum 950 mm high barriers with mid-rail and toe-board) around all open excavations. Fit at time of opening and maintain until backfill.
- › Cover excavations with load-rated covers or similar when unattended, at night and at weekends. Covers must be secured to prevent removal.
- › Provide adequate ladder access at maximum 6 m intervals. Ladders must extend 1 m above excavation top, be secured and inspected regularly.
Manual handling — heavy or bulky items
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use excavator, crane, vacuum excavation or mechanical handling aids to move heavy spoil and plant components. Avoid manual lifting above 25 kg where practicable.
- › Conduct task-specific manual handling assessment. Provide operative training in safe lifting techniques, team lifts and use of mechanical aids before task commences.
Silica and construction dust inhalation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Apply water suppression to dry soils and material before and during excavation to reduce airborne dust at source. Use hose or water bowser as appropriate.
- › Where water suppression is insufficient or silica-containing material is confirmed, provide FFP3 dust masks or higher-grade RPE. RPE must be face-fit tested and maintained.
Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Provide anti-vibration gloves as supplementary protection. Enrol regular users in a health surveillance programme (tingling/blanching questionnaire) if EAV is regularly approached.
- › Use mechanical excavator attachments instead of hand-held breakers wherever ground conditions allow. Select lowest vibration-rated equipment available for the task.
- › Calculate daily vibration exposure (EAV/ELV) using manufacturer HAV data. Implement job rotation to limit individual exposure. Maintain exposure records for all operatives.
Flooding and groundwater ingress in excavation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Carry out ground investigation to establish groundwater levels before excavation. Prepare a dewatering strategy (sump pumping, wellpoints) designed by a competent person for excavations in water-bearing ground.
- › Install cut-off drains, bunds or sheet piling to prevent surface water running into the excavation. Keep pump equipment on standby during heavy rainfall periods.
- › Evacuate workers immediately if water ingress cannot be controlled or if excavation sides show signs of instability due to saturation. Prohibit re-entry until inspected by competent person.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ RPE (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
- ✓ Hearing protection (to the assessed SNR)
Competence
- ✓ Excavation and plant competence
- ✓ Site induction completed; CSCS or equivalent where the site requires it
Schemes (CSCS, PASMA, IPAF…) evidence competence; they are not statutory requirements in themselves.
Plant & equipment
- › 360° tracked excavator with quick-hitch and buckets
- › Banksman radios and high-vis signalling kit
- › Tipper lorries / dumpers for arisings
- › Edge-protection barriers and stop blocks
- › Sump pump and lay-flat hose for dewatering
- › Access ladders or ramp for safe entry/egress
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ Whether the face profile (batter/bench angle) is justified by a temporary works design or competent-person assessment, not just asserted as 'safe'.
- ✓ That a named competent person and a CDM regulation 22 inspection record are built into the method, with a stated frequency and triggers.
- ✓ How the plant/pedestrian interface is segregated — physical exclusion zones and a banksman, not reliance on people 'keeping clear'.
- ✓ The document is site-specific — real address, access arrangements and dates, not a generic template
- ✓ Hazards match the actual task and the controls are specific (not “take care” and “use PPE”)
- ✓ Named supervisor and competent person, with operative sign-off space
- ✓ Emergency and rescue arrangements that work for this site
The report builder runs these as pre-submission checks before you download — or run an existing document through the free RAMS pre-submission checker.
Frequently asked questions
At what depth does an excavation need support?
There is no magic depth in law — the popular '1.2m rule' is a myth. CDM 2015 regulation 22 requires you to take steps to prevent collapse at any depth that could bury or injure a person, and a face barely a metre high can do that in poor ground. Whether you batter, bench, or shore depends on the soil type, groundwater, surcharge from spoil and plant, and how long the excavation stays open. A competent person should assess each excavation rather than applying a single threshold.
Do I have to inspect the excavation every day?
Yes. CDM regulation 22 requires inspection by a competent person at the start of every shift before anyone works in the excavation, and again after any event that could have affected its stability — heavy rain, an impact, or fresh dewatering. The inspection must be recorded. You can build this record straight into the RamsDocs document so the daily check is signed off on site.
What regulations apply to excavation?
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment are the main ones, alongside Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and CDM 2015 apply to all construction work.
Does a method statement need to be site-specific?
Yes — this is the most common reason documents get sent back. Principal contractors reject generic copy-paste RAMS. Your document should name the site, access arrangements, dates, supervisor and any site-specific hazards. The RamsDocs builder fills these in for you and flags what's missing before you download.
Is this template free?
Yes — everything on RamsDocs is free during early access, including building a site-specific version of this RAMS and downloading the PDF. No card required.