LANDSCAPE ONTARIO – WORKPLACE SAFETY TAILGATE TALKS
© 2026, WSPS.CA 41
Develop and communicate a detailed site-specific trenching and
shoring plan before work begins; which should include utilities,
atmospheric conditions, how workers will enter and exit, etc.
– Determine what digging equipment and tools are needed.
– Have a throughout excavation plan to ensure appropriate
shoring, oxygen levels and hazardous gases.
Before any excavation, obtain clearances from underground
utilities (Hydro, etc.).
Keep excavated material at least 1m from the edge.
Put appropriate structures in place. A good basic rule is any
depth above mid-thigh requires reinforcement and support.
Ensure that workers, pedestrians, materials, and traffic are kept
at a safe distance from the excavation site.
Guardrails on walkways over an excavation can be installed to
prevent falls.
Use ladders, stairways or ramps entering and exiting
excavations more than 1.5m deep.
Inspect trenches at the start of each shift, following a rainstorm
or after any other hazardous event.
Do not assume frozen walls are safe. Frozen ground is not an
alternative to proper shoring.
Trenching and Shoring
Excavated or other materials must be at least 1m back from the
edge of a trench.
Avoid idling portable motorized equipment near a trenched
area as emissions may accumulate in low lying areas and create
an oxygen deficiency.
ACTION!
Identify jobsites, where an
excavation greater than 1m is
occurring, and discuss what
measures need to be put in
place to prevent injuries?
