Work Permit – Excavation

Full Description

This excavation permit is a permit-to-work form that makes crews plan the dig, check precautions and get sign-off before any excavation starts. Most jobsites need some excavation, from a deep basement dig to a small trench for new plumbing, and every one carries risk if it is done without planning.

What is an excavation permit to work?

An excavation permit to work is an internal site form that authorizes a specific excavation task once the hazards have been checked and controls are in place. It records the location, scope and dates of the dig, confirms that underground services have been located, and lists precautions such as shoring, edge protection and safe access. A responsible person signs to issue the permit and the crew signs to accept it. It is different from a city or utility excavation permit, which is permission from an authority to dig.

When to use it

• Before any trench, pit or bulk excavation starts
• When digging near buried services, foundations or existing structures
• Small excavations during renovations, such as new drainage or plumbing lines
• When the scope, crew or method of an existing excavation changes
• On sites where the client or principal contractor requires permits for high-risk work

What’s included

This is a permit-to-work form for excavation, supplied as a document file (.docx). It is designed so workers check and plan their work before they start digging, and so the proper sign-offs are in place before excavation begins. Edit it to match your site rules and the controls your project requires.

How to fill it out

1. Describe the excavation: location, depth, size, method and planned dates.
2. Confirm underground services have been located and marked, and attach the service drawings.
3. List the hazards, such as collapse, falls, water, traffic and nearby structures.
4. Record the controls: shoring or benching, barriers, access ladders and spoil placement.
5. Have the permit issuer review the site and sign to authorize the work.
6. Have the crew leader and crew sign to accept the conditions.
7. Close out the permit when the excavation is backfilled or handed over.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the permit as paperwork. The issuer should look at the site before signing.
• Starting before services are located. In the US, call 811 before you dig.
• Leaving a permit open after conditions change, such as rain or a deeper dig.
• Storing spoil or parking plant too close to the edge of the excavation.

Related templates and guides

• Daily Excavation Construction Checklist
• Safe Work Procedure – Excavation
• QAQC Checklist – Site Works (Excavation)
• OSHA Regulation – 2226-10R 2015 – Trenching And Excavation
• All work permit templates

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an excavation permit and a permit to work?

An excavation permit from a city or utility is permission from an authority to dig, often in a street or right of way. An excavation permit to work is an internal site form that authorizes a crew to start a dig once hazards and controls are checked. Many projects need both.

Who issues an excavation permit to work?

A competent, authorized person on site, often the site supervisor, superintendent or safety lead, issues the permit after checking the area and the planned controls. The crew leader accepts it. Your company procedures should name who can issue and close permits.

What should an excavation permit include?

It should cover the location and scope of the dig, dates and duration, located underground services, identified hazards, protective systems such as shoring or benching, access and egress, barriers, inspection arrangements and signatures from the issuer and the crew.

Do you need a permit to dig on a construction site?

Many sites require an internal permit for any excavation, and local authorities may require a permit for work in public areas or near utilities. In the US, you must also contact 811 so buried utilities are marked before digging. Check your local rules and client requirements.

How long is an excavation permit valid?

An internal permit to work is usually valid for a set period, often one shift or one day, or until the task is finished. If conditions change, the permit should be reviewed and reissued. Follow the validity period set in your site’s permit system.