Topographic Survey Safety

Topographic surveys map the existing ground levels, features, and boundaries of a site before construction.
Surveyors work across the full site area including slopes, watercourses, roads, and vegetated ground.
Lone working is common during topographic surveys, especially on large or remote sites.
Trip hazards from rough ground, hidden ditches, rabbit holes, and overgrown vegetation cause falls.
Surveys along roads require traffic management and hi-vis clothing to protect from passing vehicles.
Ticks carrying Lyme disease are a risk in long grass, woodland edges, and areas with deer or sheep.
Survey equipment including total stations, prism poles, and GPS rovers can attract lightning in open ground.
Access to riverbanks, cliffs, and steep slopes during surveying creates fall and drowning risks.
Aggressive livestock including cattle with calves and bulls pose a risk in agricultural survey areas.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require risk assessments for survey fieldwork.

Lone worker risk	Surveyors working alone across large sites cannot summon help quickly if injured, trapped, or confronted by hazards.
Varied terrain	Topographic surveys cover every part of the site including the most hazardous terrain that other workers may never visit.
Hidden hazards	Overgrown, unmaintained ground conceals trip hazards, hidden water, unstable edges, and contaminated areas.

Do

Don't

Complete a risk assessment before starting fieldwork on any new survey site.
Carry a charged phone and use a check-in system when working alone.
Wear sturdy ankle-support boots and check the ground before each step.
Use traffic management and hi-vis when surveying near live roads.
Check for ticks after working in long grass, woodland, or livestock areas.
Avoid working near steep edges and watercourses without a second person present.
Cease survey work and take shelter if thunderstorms approach the area.
Assess livestock risk before entering fields with cattle, especially cows with calves.
Carry a first aid kit and know the nearest access point for emergency vehicles.
Plan the survey route to minimise exposure to the highest-risk areas.

DON'T survey near steep edges or deep water without a buddy system.
DON'T hold prism poles upright during thunderstorms; they attract lightning.
DON'T walk through dense vegetation without checking for hidden drops and ditches.
DON'T work alone on remote sites without a check-in procedure in place.
DON'T enter fields with bulls or cows with calves without assessing the risk.
DON'T survey on live roads without traffic management and Class 3 hi-vis.
DON'T ignore tick bites; remove ticks promptly and monitor for Lyme disease symptoms.
DON'T assume agricultural land is free from contamination or buried hazards.
DON'T carry out night surveys alone in rural or isolated locations.
DON'T leave survey equipment unattended where it could be stolen or trip others.

See also: Surveying Safety Awareness | Lone Working in Remote Locations

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