Test Pit Health and Safety Guidance

Please read through all the information and complete the declaration form below before you begin excavating your test pit.

Observance of Health and Safety guidance is important in order to avoid:

  • Injury to persons
  • Damage to property

General:

  • Behave sensibly and remain aware of and alert to your surroundings at all times, including hazards on the ground and overhead.
  • Personal music to be kept switched off.
  • Wash your hands before eating.
  • Never excavate while under the influence of intoxicants.
  • Any broken skin (blisters, cuts etc) should be cleaned thoroughly and covered. It is advisable to check your tetanus status before starting excavation and update if necessary.
  • Seek professional medical advice if you become unwell after the excavation and tell them what you have been doing. They may recommend a tetanus booster injection.

Choosing a site to excavate:

  • Avoid sites near drains or service pipes which would obstruct the excavation and could pose a safety risk. Drain covers and inspection covers indicate a service pipe may be nearby.
  • Avoid sites with overhead hazards eg tree branches, suspected cables etc.
  • Avoid low-lying sites likely to be prone to flooding.
  • Do not dig within 2m of a property boundary or any sort of wall.
  • Ensure there is sufficient space to move around the 1m² hole, ideally at least 2m on each side, and at least 3m2 on one side for your spoil heap.
  • Avoid digging under tree canopies and within 2m of established hedges to avoid damaging roots.
  • Avoid areas which have recently been built-up and/or disturbed, including pet burials L.

During excavation:

Hidden cables and pipes:

  • Be aware there may be electricity, gas, water or sewerage pipes below where you are digging.
  • Dig gently at all times to avoid damaging any pipe/cable you might encounter.
  • If you encounter a pipe/cable, stop excavation, record your work so far and backfill. 

Injuries:

  • Pace yourself and if you begin to feel the strain, take a rest and/or swap tasks. This will help avoid blisters, strained muscles etc. 
  • Take care when sorting spoil for finds as it may contain sharp objects (glass, metal, flint).

Contamination:

  • Be aware that objects such as tins and bottles may contain residues of dangerous substances.
  • Don’t sniff or taste anything you find in the ground.
  • Avoid opening sealed containers or disturbing buried filled plastic bags…

Tripping and falling:

  • As the test pit/trench gets deeper it will become more of a hazard and the edges may not be very solid. Ensure vulnerable people (including small children) keep at least 2m from the test pit edge.
  • Keep the site tidy at all times and keep the area within 2m of the test pit/trench clear of equipment and anything else that might be a trip hazard (that includes the spoil heap!
  • Walk AROUND the test pit/trench, NOT across it.

Animals:

  • Be aware of pets which may be trying to interfere with your work, or have quietly positioned themselves somewhere where they are a trip hazard.
  • If the excavation is open overnight, cover if possible and check for trapped animals before digging.

Weather:

  • In sunny weather, watch out for sunburn. Use hat/sunblock as needed.
  • In hot weather, watch out for heatstroke – keep hydrated and take breaks in the shade as needed.

Equipment usage:

  • NEVER stand behind someone shovelling (so you don’t get hit by their elbow)
  • ALWAYS stand well back and behind the test pit/trench when the spade, shovel or mattock are being used (so you’re not at risk of falling in if pushed from behind, and if chips of stone fly up they won’t hit you).
  • NEVER reach into the test pit/trench when someone is using the spade, shovel or mattock (so you don’t get your hand or face hit).
  • NEVER over-load the sieve (½ shovel-full max. in the sieve at a time) (so you don’t strain your back)
  • NEVER hold the mattock with the metal head uppermost (it may slide down and hit your hand)
  • NEVER raise the mattock above head height (it may slide down and hit your head/shoulder, or fly off the end and hit someone else)
  • Don’t swing the mattock into the ground too hard – you may damage objects hidden in the ground, or jar your shoulder if it hits something hard.
  • ALWAYS wear safety goggles, glasses or sunglasses to protect your eyes when using the mattock on hard surfaces (large stones, bricks, concrete).

…FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES AND ENJOY EXCAVATING IN SAFETY…