Excavation Permits

What is this?

An Excavation Permit is a critical safety document required before any digging, trenching, or excavation work begins. It ensures that underground services (like gas, water, or electricity) have been located and that cave-in protection is planned.

When to use this?

Use this permit before breaking ground on any site, regardless of the depth of the excavation, to prevent service strikes and ensure trench stability.

Why this works this way

Excavation work in a trench deeper than 1.5m is one of the categories of High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) under the WHS Regulations and requires a SWMS — this permit applies that same level of formal control (service locating, shoring/benching plans, sign-off before work starts) to excavation work generally, as good practice regardless of depth.

This is general information, not legal advice — confirm specific requirements with your WHS advisor or the current legislation for your jurisdiction.

Prerequisites

• Must have the Admin, Safety Manager, or Supervisor role to authorize the permit.
• Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) or equivalent utility locating plans must be available and reviewed.

Step-by-Step Guide

Reviewing and Authorizing a Permit

1. Navigate to Permits > Excavation and Select a pending permit.
2. Review the location, depth, and method of excavation.
3. Verify that all relevant underground services have been identified and that the Service Locator has signed off if required.
4. Check the Safety Measures (e.g., shoring, benching, battering, barricades).
5. Once all controls are in place, Click Activate Permit.

Closing a Permit

1. Once the excavation is completed and backfilled, or handed over to another contractor safely, open the active permit.
2. Scroll to the Close Permit section.
3. Fill in the Closure Notes (e.g., Excavation successfully backfilled, no service strikes).
4. Click Close Permit.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

• Q: What if we hit an unidentified service during excavation? A: Stop work immediately, evacuate the area if necessary, and report it as an Incident. The permit should be cancelled and a new one issued after a reassessment.