When hand digging, it's crucial to prioritize safety due to the risk of encountering underground utilities or unstable soil conditions. Before commencing any digging, contact the local government or public service company to confirm the locations of underground utilities such as gas, water, phone, and electrical power lines 2, 3. Inspect the worksite for any evidence of unmarked utilities and piping, and contact the relevant authorities if necessary 2, 3.

Before disturbing the ground, contact the owner of any buried facilities, advise them of the proposed activities, and ask them to identify and mark the location of the buried facilities [1]. Do not begin disturbing the ground until buried facilities have been identified and their locations marked [1]. Ensure workers are aware of the locate marks for buried facilities [1], and take steps to re-establish these marks if they are moved or destroyed during work [1].

When excavating, employers must ensure that work with mechanical excavation equipment is not permitted within the hand expose zone of a buried facility until the buried facility has been exposed to sight by hand digging [1].

Additionally, if the ground that will be disturbed lies within a pipeline right of way, contact the operator or licensee of the pipeline and obtain their consent to disturb the ground [2]. An employer must not allow the use of mechanical excavation equipment within 600 millimetres of a buried pipeline unless the use of the equipment is under the direct supervision of a representative of the owner of the buried pipeline [2].

If a pipeline is exposed during a work operation, notify the pipeline operator or licensee before backfilling the excavation [2].

Loose materials should be scaled and trimmed from the sides of the excavation if workers may be on or near the sides [3].

If there is a danger of a worker or equipment falling into an excavation, ensure that workers are made aware of the excavation through flagging, marking, safeguards, or other appropriate and effective means [4].

If a worker is required to enter a trench that is more than 1.5 metres deep, a safe point of entering and leaving should be located not more than 8 metres from the worker [3]. If a worker is in a trench that is more than 1.5 metres deep, the trench should be supported or sloped so that the worker can reach the safe point in order to enter and leave [5].