TRD/Civils/TBT-TRD-010

Groundworker Safety

Trade-Specific Safety › Civils › Groundworker Safety

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

Groundworkers carry out a wide range of tasks including excavation, drainage, concreting, paving, and kerb laying.
The role exposes workers to almost every construction hazard: plant, excavations, manual handling, and services.
Working alongside excavators, dumpers, and rollers creates constant struck-by and crush risks.
Manual handling of kerbs, slabs, pipes, and concrete is the leading cause of musculoskeletal injury for groundworkers.
Exposure to cement, silica dust, vibration, and noise is higher for groundworkers than many other trades.
Underground services are encountered daily during excavation, drainage, and foundation works.
Groundworkers often work in all weather conditions including rain, cold, and extreme heat.
CDM 2015, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, and COSHH 2002 all apply to groundwork activities.
Health surveillance for HAVS, noise, silica, and dermatitis is particularly important for groundworkers.
Good communication with plant operators through banksmen and clear signals prevents struck-by incidents.

Multi-hazard exposure	Groundworkers face more combined hazards daily than almost any other trade, requiring broad safety awareness.
Plant proximity	Working in close proximity to excavators, dumpers, and rollers makes groundworkers highly vulnerable to struck-by injuries.
Long-term health	Cumulative exposure to vibration, dust, noise, and cement causes career-ending occupational diseases in groundworkers.

Don't

Maintain eye contact with plant operators and use banksmen in shared areas.
Use mechanical aids for lifting kerbs, slabs, and heavy pipes wherever available.
Wear hearing protection, gloves, and safety boots appropriate to the task.
Scan for buried services before every excavation using CAT and Genny equipment.
Limit vibration tool use and rotate tasks to reduce daily vibration exposure.
Apply barrier cream and wear gloves to prevent cement contact dermatitis.
Use water suppression when cutting concrete, block, or paving to control dust.
Stay visible to plant operators by wearing hi-vis and staying in their sight line.
Attend health surveillance for HAVS, noise, dust, and dermatitis when offered.
Report early symptoms of vibration, hearing loss, or skin problems immediately.

DON'T work in the blind spot of excavators, dumpers, or other moving plant.
DON'T manually lift kerbs and slabs when vacuum lifters or mechanical aids exist.
DON'T handle wet cement without protective gloves and waterproof clothing.
DON'T cut concrete or paving without water suppression or dust extraction.
DON'T exceed daily vibration exposure limits from breakers, compactors, and drills.
DON'T dig near buried services without completing CAT and Genny detection first.
DON'T ignore early symptoms of white finger, deafness, or skin rash.
DON'T assume plant operators can see you; make eye contact before approaching.
DON'T refuse health surveillance appointments; they detect problems early.
DON'T work through extreme weather without appropriate PPE and welfare breaks.

See also: General Operative (Civils) Safety | Plant and Pedestrian Segregation

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