Excavation Safety Quiz

Guard rails placed around the top of an excavation are meant to ___.

What should you do if you have to work in a confined space and realise your permit to work will expire before you can finish the work?

• Ask your supervisor to adjust the date on the permit

• Leave the confined space before the permit expires

• Give the permit to the next shift

• Continue working until the job is finished

You have to work in an excavation, what is the main hazard while working?

• Being crushed if the sides are not supported

• Falling

• Suffering from skin abrasions

• Breathing in hazardous dust from the ground

What should you do if you’re working in a deep trench and notice a lorry with its engine running above you?

• Leave the trench immediately

• Put on ear defenders to block out the noise

• Continue working - this is normal

• Continue working - the lorry will move eventually

What could happen if oxygen levels in a confined space drop below 8 percent?

• A fire or explosion could occur

• Dehydration among workers

• Workers may become unconscious

• Hearing issues among workers

What should you do if you’re working in a deep trench and you start to feel dizzy?

• Sit down and take a few minutes to recover

• Continue working and let the dizziness pass on its own

• Get out then take a few minutes then go back in

• Get out immediately and take everyone who is working with you then report it

What does it mean if you are digging and find a run of coloured marker tape?

• The soil is contaminated

• It is not safe to dig in this area

• Buried human remains are present

• There is a buried service

What should you do if you notice the side supports moving around as you're working inside an excavation?

• Nothing - this is normal

• Move further down and continue working

If you need to hand dig near any electrical underground services you must use __.

• A jack hammer

• A full metal shovel

• An insulated shovel or spade

• A metal shovel and rubber gloves

You have to work in a confined space and notice there is sludge at the bottom, what should you do before entering? (Choose 3 answers)

• Ensure you have the correct training

• Toss an item into the sludge to determine how deep it is

• Ensure that the space is tested for gas

• Find out what the sludge is

• Ensure you are wearing a disposable dust mask