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Underground Services Safety Checklist

Free Safety Checklist template · Category: ConstructionView all Safety Checklist templates
Use our Checklist creator tool to create customised workplace safety documents. Learn more about Underground Services Safety Checklist Template below
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Checklist Questions

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Risk Assessment Description:

This Underground Services and Cable Avoidance Safety Checklist from Health & Safety Zone helps construction teams ensure safe planning and execution of groundworks where buried utilities are present.

It covers all ten safety dimensions – from risk assessment and method statements, through competence, site conditions, specific service locating tasks, equipment checks, PPE, collective safeguards, emergency provisions and final make‑safe – and aligns with the guidance in HSG47 and the requirements of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The checklist incorporates best‑practice from HSE and industry standards for CAT and Genny scanning, trial‑hole verification and safe hand‑digging techniques.

Use this checklist for:

  • Pre‑dig planning – confirm drawings, permits and service locations.
  • In‑process monitoring – verify scans, barriers and safe digging methods.
  • Completion sign‑off – ensure back‑filling, reinstatement and final inspection.

Each item is answered Yes, No or N/A – any No response must be resolved before work proceeds or before the site is released.

To use the checklist, the supervisor should walk the site, ask each question and record the answer, taking corrective action for any No response before work continues.

Fully editable and shareable — customise the questions to your site, download as a PDF and share with your team.

Compliant with: Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015; Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974; HSG47.

Sample PDF Document Image:

Checks covered in this Underground Services and Cable Avoidance checklist

This Underground Services and Cable Avoidance safety checklist template covers 25 checks. Customise the questions to your workplace, then download a professional, print-ready PDF with Yes / No / N/A tick-boxes and a comments space.

#Checklist item
1Has a risk assessment for the excavation work been completed and briefed to operatives?
2Is the method statement for underground services avoidance in place and followed?
3Are the relevant excavation permits obtained and displayed on site?
4Are operatives trained and competent in locating and working around underground services?
5Has a competent person confirmed the service drawings and survey data?
6Is the ground condition suitable for safe digging with no unstable soil or water ingress?
7Is the weather suitable for excavation, avoiding heavy rain or high winds?
8Is the site adequately cordoned to protect the public and other workers?
9Are all identified underground services clearly marked on site before digging?
10Is a CAT (Cable Avoidance Tool) scan performed and results recorded?
11Is a Genny (electrical detection) scan performed where applicable and results recorded?
12Are trial holes or potholing planned and carried out where services cannot be accurately located?
13Is hand‑digging equipment inspected and in good condition before use?
14Are mechanical excavators equipped with protective guards and the correct bucket for the task?
15Is any utility locating equipment calibrated and within its service interval?
16Is appropriate PPE (gloves, safety boots, high‑visibility clothing, eye protection) worn by all operatives?
17Is suitable respiratory protection provided where dust or contaminants may be generated?
18Are exclusion zones and barriers in place around the excavation area?
19Is a traffic management plan in place for vehicle movements near the dig?
20Are emergency contact numbers and procedures displayed at the site?
21Is a first‑aid kit readily accessible near the excavation?
22Are emergency shut‑off points for utilities identified and isolated where required?
23Has the excavation been backfilled and compacted after services have been protected?
24Are any exposed services adequately protected or reinstated?
25Is a final inspection sign‑off completed by a competent person?

Frequently asked questions

Are these safety checklist templates really free to download?

Yes — completely free. Customise any checklist to your workplace and download a professional, print-ready PDF in minutes. No paywall — a free account is all you need to download.

What format do the safety checklists download in?

Checklists download as a professional PDF, ready to print and complete on-site — each question has clear Yes / No / N/A tick-boxes and a comments space. You choose portrait or landscape at download. Word and spreadsheet formats are being added.

Can I customise the checklist questions to my workplace?

Yes — fully. Add your own questions, edit or remove any of the pre-written ones, and reorder them to suit your site, task or inspection before you download.

Are the safety checklists suitable for UK workplaces?

Yes. The checklists are written around UK health and safety good practice and HSE guidance, and are suitable for inspections, audits, toolbox checks and routine workplace monitoring.

Do I need an account to use the checklist templates?

You can build and preview a checklist without an account. To download the PDF you'll need a free account — it takes less than a minute, costs nothing, and also lets you save checklists to your dashboard and edit them later.

Can I add my company logo and branding to the checklist?

Yes — add your company logo, colours and details on Standard and Pro plans, so the exported checklist carries your own branding. Guests and Free downloads carry Health & Safety Zone branding.

How do I complete the checklist once it is downloaded?

The exported checklist is a blank, ready-to-use document: print it and tick Yes, No or N/A against each question and write any comments in the notes space, then sign and date it in the sign-off section.

What types of safety checklist can I create?

We are building specialist checklists across a wide range of subjects and industries — fire safety, workplace inspections, equipment and machinery checks, site inductions, vehicle checks, PPE, first aid and more. Browse by category to find the right one.

How often should safety checklists be completed?

It depends on the activity and your risk assessment — many checks are daily, weekly or monthly, while others are done before each task or shift. Completed, dated checklists provide a useful record of your monitoring.

Are the checklists a substitute for a risk assessment?

No. A checklist is a monitoring and inspection tool that complements your risk assessments and method statements — it helps confirm that controls are in place and working. Use them alongside your risk assessments.

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