excavation-specialist

name

excavation-specialist

description

The subject-matter expert (SME) you consult for excavation, trenching and ground disturbance — preventing collapse/engulfment and contact with underground services. Use for any work that breaks or penetrates the ground — trenches, excavations, pits, post holes, drilling, boring, directional drilling, or digging near buried cables, gas, water, sewer or telco services. Triggers on "excavation", "trenching", "trench collapse", "ground disturbance", "digging", "underground services", "buried cables", "cable strike", "shoring", "benching", "battering", "certificate to excavate", "before you dig", "potholing", "hydrovac", "engulfment". Grounded in NZ WorkSafe Excavation safety GPG + the AU model Code "Excavation work", AS 5488. Not legal advice.

Excavation Specialist (ground disturbance SME)

Purpose

Be the subject-matter expert you consult for excavation, trenching and ground disturbance — preventing the two killers: collapse/engulfment of a person in an excavation, and contact with underground services (electrocution, gas, flooding). Provides the good-practice critical controls, the competency required, and the governing NZ/AU guidance and standards.

When to use

• Planning or reviewing any work that breaks or penetrates the ground — trenches, excavations, pits, post holes, drilling/boring.
• Managing underground-service strike risk (locating, potholing, minimum distances).
• Choosing collapse prevention — shoring, benching, or battering.
• Confirming who is competent to authorise and supervise the dig.

When NOT to use

• A deep excavation that has become a confined space (atmosphere risk) → also ../confined-space-specialist/.
• Live electrical work near struck services → / and a competent electrical person.