RAMS for Groundworkers — Excavations, Utilities, and CDM Compliance

Groundwork carries some of the most serious risks in construction. Collapsed excavations, utility strikes, and plant-vehicle conflicts are responsible for a disproportionate number of fatalities. Your RAMS needs to reflect that.

Why Groundworker RAMS Get Scrutinised

HSE pays particular attention to excavation work. It's one of the areas where inadequate planning kills people quickly. Inspectors on groundwork sites are specifically trained to identify whether the RAMS reflects a genuine understanding of the ground conditions, the utilities, and the plant being used.

A generic document won't cut it here.

Essential Hazards for Groundwork RAMS

### Excavation Collapse

The most serious hazard in groundwork. Your RAMS must cover:

• Ground investigation — what do you know about the ground type and any pre-existing instability?
• Excavation support — when does it apply? (Typically any excavation over 1.2m in unstable ground, or over 2m in any ground)
• Inspection regime — who inspects the excavation, at what frequency, and what record is kept?
• What triggers a stop and reassessment (e.g. rainfall, frost, ground movement)

HSE has prosecuted multiple groundwork contractors for inadequate excavation support. It's not a box-ticking exercise.

### Underground Utilities

Utility strikes are one of the most common serious incidents in groundwork. Your RAMS should cover:

• Pre-start searches — CAT scan, Dial Before You Dig / LSBUD check, existing drawings
• The trial hole requirement before mechanical digging near known services
• Hand-dig exclusion zones
• What to do if an unmarked service is struck
• Confirmation that all plant operators are briefed on the utility plan

### Plant and Vehicle Safety

Excavators, dumpers, rollers — groundwork sites have high plant-vehicle interactions. Your RAMS should address:

• Segregation of plant from pedestrian workers and members of the public
• Banksman requirements
• Visibility aids (cameras, alarms)
• Plant inspection regime
• Operator competence (CPCS / NPORS cards)

### Contaminated Land

On brownfield sites, your RAMS must address:

• Known or suspected contamination (from site investigation reports)
• PPE requirements for contact with contaminated material
• Waste disposal arrangements for contaminated spoil
• Air monitoring if volatile contaminants are possible

Skipping this on a brownfield site is a serious compliance gap.

### Manual Handling

Blocks, kerbs, drainage pipes, concrete sections — groundwork materials are heavy. Address the specific materials on this job, weights involved, and any mechanical aids being used.

### Working Near Water

If there's any risk of flooding, standing water, or work near watercourses — your RAMS needs to cover the controls. Unprotected excavations filling with water in poor weather is a common emergency scenario.

Method Statement for Groundwork

A groundwork method statement sequence might look like:

1. 1Mobilisation — set up welfare, hoarding, signage, emergency plan
2. 2Utility search — CAT scan, LSBUD check, review drawings
3. 3Set out — mark up the dig area, identify utility positions
4. 4Trial holes — hand-dig to verify service positions
5. 5Mechanical excavation — in stages, with inspection at each lift
6. 6Excavation support — install as required based on ground conditions
7. 7Drainage / foundation work within excavation
8. 8Backfill and compact — in specified layers
9. 9Reinstatement of surfaces
10. 10Site clearance and inspection

Tailor this to your scope. Foundation work has different steps to drainage runs.

What Gets Groundwork Sites Stopped

• Excavations over 1.2m with no support and no assessment
• No utility search evidence before breaking ground
• Plant operating without banksman in pedestrian areas
• RAMS present but no mention of ground investigation findings
• No excavation inspection records

RAMS That Work for Groundwork

Groundwork RAMS need to be specific about the ground, the utilities, the plant, and the sequence. The Site Book generates this from your job description — including the right hazards for excavation work, utility risk, and plant operations — rather than starting from a blank Word doc.

Start your RAMS →