Excavation Awareness: Sides, Services and Edges
Included with TrainMeUK — no separate course purchase required.
Collapse, buried services, falls and plant at the edge, inspections, and the safe digging method.
- Assign to
- Anyone who digs, works in or near excavations
- Duration
- 20 minutes
- Evidence
- 9-question quiz
- Your version
- Editable
What they will be able to do
- Explain why excavations collapse, even shallow ones.
- Use plans, a CAT and safe digging to avoid buried services.
- Keep spoil, plant and people back from the edge.
- Know when excavations must be inspected.
The course
- 01Why trenches collapse
- 02Buried services
- 03Edges and plant
- 04Inspection
The decision they practise
In “Trevor at the trench”, a face-to-face conversation, learners practise what to say and do when the other person pushes back. The wrong options are things a well-meaning person might genuinely say, and the feedback explains why each one is tempting. Short animations show “Why Church Lane’s trench is ready to go” and “Two Thursday afternoons”.
How you know they finished
The 9-question quiz mixes multiple choice, matching and sequencing questions and returns to the opening story.
Roll it out with
Relevant legislation and guidance
The course draws on these. Which ones apply depends on the organisation and the role. Finishing the course is a training record.
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM)
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
How this course is built
Interactive activity
Learners practise the decision in the course, including what to say when someone pushes back.
Edit it in the builder
On Growth and above, adapt the scenarios and wording to your own workplace, policies and reporting procedures.
A record they finished
The 9-question quiz closes the course, so you can show who completed it.
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