SA safety alert focuses on risks with excavation work

SA Safety Alert Focuses on Risks With Excavation Work

SafeWork SA has released new information to help manage risks of ground collapse associated with excavation work, following two separate trench collapse incidents within a two-week period. Both cases highlight why proper hazard management and site controls remain critical for any business undertaking ground-disturbance tasks.

The first incident occurred when a worker was removing earth from under and around existing services in preparation for installing an electrical conduit. That worker was engulfed in waist-high dirt for approximately 30 minutes and suffered severe spinal and internal organ injuries.

In the second incident, another worker became engulfed for roughly 30 minutes by earth up to his shoulders after a trench collapse while operating a jackhammer, resulting in bruising and muscle strain. Neither incident involved fatalities, though both demonstrate how quickly excavation works can turn hazardous without adequate management practices in place.

Compliance Campaign Targets High-Risk Construction Work

Executive Director of SafeWork SA, Martyn Campbell, confirmed a state-wide compliance campaign on High-Risk Construction Work (HRCW) would commence in September 2021. HRCW includes work carried out in or near a trench or shaft with an excavated depth greater than 1.5 metres.

Effective work health and safety policy frameworks should address excavation-specific risks before ground works begin, rather than reacting once collapse hazards materialise. Businesses managing excavation projects should review our guide on excavation safety best work practices to strengthen existing site controls.

New guidance information developed for preventing trench collapse, along with the original article, can be viewed on the SafeWork South Australia website.

ACT Alert for Electrical Equipment

WorkSafe ACT has issued a separate safety alert reminding all persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) that electrical risks require active management within any workplace. Electricians and their apprentices face obvious exposure, but poor electrical installation, outdated or poorly maintained equipment, and contact with exposed live parts create hazardous conditions across a wide range of workplace settings.

Maintaining electrical tools and equipment, conducting thorough risk assessments, and testing and tagging routines all reduce the likelihood of workers encountering electric shocks or related hazards.

Where a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is required before electrical activities commence, work must proceed exactly as outlined in that SWMS. Reviewing a work health and safety manual alongside SWMS documentation helps ensure electrical hazards are captured consistently across sites.

Full details of the original article are available on the WorkSafe ACT website.

Broader Lessons for Plant, Transport and Management Practices

Both alerts point to a common thread: hazardous conditions often stem from gaps in day-to-day management rather than one-off failures. Trenching, plant operation and transport of materials on active sites all demand consistent oversight from supervisors and management teams alike.

Plant used for excavation, including jackhammers and earth-moving equipment, must be matched to ground conditions and inspected regularly as part of routine management processes. Transport routes across excavation sites should be planned so vehicles and pedestrians avoid unsupported trench edges, since transport movements near open trenches can accelerate collapse risk.

Management teams overseeing high-risk construction work should build transport scheduling into broader site management plans, ensuring plant movements never compromise trench stability. Where transport of spoil or materials crosses excavation zones, management must reassess shoring and support before plant re-enters the area.

Strong management commitment, paired with proper tools for risk assessment, remains the most reliable way to prevent repeat incidents. For organisations building out their broader safety documentation, our safety software resources and related winch safety SWMS template offer practical starting points for strengthening plant and equipment management across excavation and general construction tasks.

Businesses seeking further context on how regulators respond to serious incidents can also read about a related WorkSafe alert following a gas cylinder explosion in a work vehicle, or a WorkSafe New Zealand alert issued after a hot work incident, both of which reinforce the value of proactive health and safety management across high-risk industries.