Groundworks
Toolbox talks for groundworkers
Shaun Holmes
I still will not stand in a trench that is holding itself up on hope. HSE's line, in the excavations talk, is that no ground can be relied upon to stand unsupported in all circumstances. A cubic metre of soil can weigh more than 1.5 tonnes. That figure is HSE's.
Buried services are in that same talk, and in the electrical talk: do not dig until you know what is in the ground and what is above the machine. Manholes, sewers and open-topped chambers can be confined spaces. Cutting kerbs and concrete is silica. These are the talks I would brief first. The pages stay open to read. The pack asks for an email the first time.
This talk supplements the site's own risk assessment and method. It does not replace them, and it is not a substitute for competent health and safety advice.
Talks for this trade
About 5 minutes
Excavations and trenches
Support or batter the sides before anyone gets in. Find the services first. Inspect at the start of the shift.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Electrical safety
Buried cables and overhead lines. A line can arc without a touch, and a cable can be live when the drawing says it is not.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Confined spaces
Manholes, sewers, ducts and open-topped chambers. Entry is the last option, and the rescue is planned before anyone goes in.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Silica dust
Cutting concrete, kerbs and slabs. The cloud you cannot see is the one that matters. Water or H or M class extraction first.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Manual handling
Kerbs, bags and covers. Use the machine or a second person before you talk about technique.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Noise at work
Breakers and cutters. HSE's prompt is having to shout to someone about two metres away. Quieter work comes before ear defenders.
Read the talk
About 5 minutes
Power tools and hand-arm vibration
A breaker in the hands is a vibration exposure. HSE's first control is a way of doing the job that does not need the vibrating tool.
Read the talk
Tools for your trade
- What day rate should I charge?
A day rate from the take-home you want, the days you cannot invoice, and the share you set aside for tax.
- Mileage allowance calculator
The HMRC flat mileage rate for a car, van or motorcycle, with the 10,000-mile split.
- VAT threshold checker
A rolling 12-month turnover set against the £90,000 VAT registration line.
HSE pages for this trade
These are the HSE pages I used. None of them are affiliate links.
Excavations (opens in a new tab)
Collapse, falling material, people and plant falling in, and buried services. Decide the support before you dig, and have the kit on site.
Electrical systems, including buried cables (opens in a new tab)
HSE says further deaths, beyond the refurbishment electrocutions, happen with overhead lines and underground cables.
Overhead power lines (opens in a new tab)
A raised tipper or an excavator can touch a line or get close enough to arc. Stay in the cab if you strike one.
Confined spaces (opens in a new tab)
Sewers, enclosed drains and open-topped chambers are on HSE's lists. Do not go in because it looked fine yesterday.
Construction dust (opens in a new tab)
Cutting concrete puts silica in the air. Damp the cut for the whole time, or use the right extraction.
Vehicles on site (opens in a new tab)
People and plant need a plan for how they pass each other. Parking a machine on the edge of a trench loads the side.
Noise and vibration (opens in a new tab)
Breakers are a noise problem and a vibration problem. Hearing protection is not the only noise control. A different method comes before more time on the tool.
A blank register, with nothing else on the page, is the toolbox talk sign-off sheet. The full library is on the toolbox talks page, and a year of topics is in the 52-week planner.
Groundworkers toolbox talk pack
The talks on this page, each with its own sign-off sheet, on one page you can print. The talks stay here to read. Opening the pack asks for an email the first time.
Get a ready-to-read toolbox talk every week
I've spent over 20 years in UK construction. Every issue of my free weekly email includes a toolbox talk you can read out on Monday morning, plus plain-English tips for the van and the office.
Free tools for a day rate, a tax estimate, a CIS deduction, and materials are on the tools page.