Say this
- Never go into a trench deeper than 1.5 metres unless the shoring is in or the engineer has signed it off.
- Stay inside the protected section. Do not step past the end of the shoring or the trench box.
- Spoil, materials and machines stay back from the edge. Weight at the top pushes the wall in.
- Watch for marked services. If you see a cable, pipe or warning tape, stop digging and call me.
- After rain, nobody goes back in until the trench has been checked.
- Use the ladder to get in and out. Never climb the shoring or jump down.
- If you see cracks at the top, water seeping in or the wall bulging, get out at once and warn the others.
Ask the crew
- At what depth must a trench be shored?
- How far back should spoil and machines stay from the edge on this job?
- What do you do if the excavator uncovers warning tape?
- Where is the nearest way out of the trench from where you are working?
Show them
- Walk the edge and point out the shoring, the guard-rails and the spoil set-back line.
- Show the service markings on the ground and where hand digging starts.
- Point out each access ladder and the emergency assembly point.
Sign-off
| Name | Company | Signature |
|---|---|---|
Sources
- Workplace Safety and Health (Construction) Regulations 2007, Singapore Statutes Online (AGC).
- Code of practice on safety and health in construction (revised 2022), International Labour Organization.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.
