Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00416:reg:4:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00416
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 4 (pt 2/21)
Character Range: 34960–37799

* existing underground services
    * the need for earthmoving machinery or vehicles to work or move along beside the excavation
    * service installation and backfilling requirements, and
    * any manual work being undertaken in the excavation.
Placing material on the lower side of the excavation will reduce the effective height of the excavation (see Figure 3) and the risk of material falling or being washed into the excavation.

Figure 3 Excavated material impact on effective excavation depth

Care should be taken to ensure that material placed on the high side of the excavation does
not increase the risk of ground collapse, or flooding by ponding or holding back runoff water. Excavated material should be placed so that it channels rainwater and other run-off water away from the excavation.

When a trench is being excavated beside an old service line, the excavated material should
be placed on the side opposite the old service line to prevent excessive loading on previously weakened ground.

If excavated material is placed close to a trench due to obstructions such as fences, buildings
or trees, the weight of the excavated material may overload the sides of a trench. In this case,
the ground support system should be strengthened at these locations and barriers such as toeboards may need to be provided to prevent the material falling into the excavation.

Different soils when dumped in heaps, will assume a characteristic shape and settle naturally
at different slopes. The angle which a sloping face of loose earth makes with the horizontal is sometimes referred to as the angle of repose. However, it is poor practice to relate the safe slope of an excavation to the angle of repose, even though the safe slope may be similar in some types of soil to the angle of repose.

4.2              Plant and equipment
Excavation work cannot be carried out safely unless the plant being used is appropriate for the work and maintained in good condition. A range of plant and equipment may be used for excavation work including:
    * powered mobile plant (see section 4.3)
    * air compressors
    * electric generators
    * jack hammers
    * hydraulic jacks
    * oxy-acetylene (gas cutting/welding)
    * scaffolding
    * ladders, and
    * many types of handheld plant such as shovels, picks, hammers, hydraulic jacks
      and pinch/lever bars.
You should ensure:
    * plant is used and operated by a competent person
    * that appropriate guards and operator protective devices are fitted
    * that the safe working load is displayed and any load measurement devices are operating correctly, and
    * plant is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer/supplier's instructions or relevant Australian Standards.
Further general guidance on plant can be found in the Code of Practice: Managing risks