Drainage RAMS example

HSE 5-STEP · CDM 2015

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Install new foul and surface-water drainage runs in shallow trenches (up to 1.2m deep) and connect to an existing manhole to serve a single-storey domestic rear extension, using a mini-excavator.

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Installation of new foul and surface-water drainage runs in shallow trenches up to 1.2m deep, and connection into an existing manhole, to serve a single-storey rear extension at 18 Beechwood Close, Bristol BS16 4P**, for Hartley Residential. Excavation is carried out using a 1.5t mini-excavator with hand-dig around known services. Work includes locating buried services, forming and supporting trenches, laying and bedding pipework, making the connection, testing, backfilling and reinstating the ground. Carried out in accordance with CDM 2015, HSG47 Avoiding Danger from Underground Services, and Approved Document H.

Generated for an example job to show the format. Make your own site-specific version and have a competent person review it.

Document details
Contractor	Groundline Drainage & Groundworks Ltd
Author	R. Fields, Site Supervisor (NRSWA, EUSR Water Hygiene)
Client / Principal Contractor	Hartley Residential
Site	18 Beechwood Close, 18 Beechwood Close, Bristol BS16 4P**
Project reference	GDG-3116
Start / duration	Tue 23 Jun 2026 / 4 days

1. Scope of works

2. Sequence of works

Method statement, safe system of work

Operatives report to site, review this RAMS, and confirm the drainage layout, invert levels and connection point against the approved building control drawings.
Carry out a site survey for buried services using statutory plans, a CAT and Genny and trial holes; mark up the positions of any electricity, gas, water and telecoms services on the ground.
Establish the working area and exclusion zone; set out Heras fencing and barriers to segregate the excavation from the public footpath and the occupier's access.
Confirm the excavation permit / permit to dig is authorised and brief all operatives on the located services and safe digging practice.
Set out the trench lines, spoil-storage areas and the mini-excavator working position, keeping spoil at least 0.5m back from the trench edge.
Expose known services by careful hand-digging (trial holes) before machine excavation begins near them; do not use mechanical excavation within 0.5m of a marked service.
Excavate trenches to the required depth and gradient using the mini-excavator, with a trained banksman directing the machine and controlling the exclusion zone.
For any section approaching or exceeding 1.2m, install trench support (trench box or hydraulic shoring) or batter the sides to a safe angle before anyone enters.
Inspect the open trench and confirm ground stability before entry; provide ladder access and keep the trench free of standing water.
Lay and level the pipe bedding (pea shingle) to the correct gradient in the base of the trench.
Lay 110mm and 160mm uPVC pipework hand-to-hand into the trench, jointing pipes and fittings with the trench box in place; avoid manual handling injuries.
Break into and connect to the existing manhole, forming a watertight benched connection; keep exposure to foul water to a minimum and follow hygiene controls.
Carry out an air test / water test on the completed runs and rectify any leaks before backfilling.
Surround and haunch the pipe with bedding material, then backfill in compacted layers using the compactor plate, keeping operatives clear during compaction.
Remove trench support progressively as backfill rises, never leaving an unsupported open face for operatives to work against.
Reinstate the manhole cover and frame to the correct level and confirm it is seated and safe to traffic over.
Reinstate the ground surface, remove surplus spoil, and clean the footpath and driveway of any mud or arisings.
Arrange the building control drainage inspection and confirm sign-off of the connection.
Remove barriers and fencing once excavations are backfilled and safe, and confirm the area is left clean and secure.
Sign out, wash down using the site hygiene facilities, and report completion to the client.

3. Risk assessment

HSE 5-STEP · MHSWR 1999 REG 3 · HIERARCHY OF CONTROL

Risk assessment: hazards, who may be harmed, controls and residual risk
Hazard	Who / how	Existing controls	L×S	Additional controls	Residual
Striking buried underground services (electricity, gas, water, telecoms) during excavation.	Operatives, public, occupier. Electric shock, burns, explosion, flooding; serious injury or fatality.	Reference to statutory service plans. Awareness of typical service routes near the property.	3×5=15	Follow HSG47 safe digging practice: Plan (obtain service drawings), Locate (CAT and Genny scan before and during digging), Dig (hand-dig trial holes to expose services, no mechanical excavation within 0.5m of a marked service). Treat all located services as live. Excavation permit / permit to dig authorised before work. Re-scan as the dig progresses.	Low
Trench collapse / ground instability burying or trapping an operative.	Operatives working in or near the trench. Crush injury, asphyxiation, fatality.	Shallow trenches to 1.2m. Visual assessment of ground conditions. Spoil kept back from the edge.	2×5=10	Support the sides with a trench box / hydraulic shoring, or batter the sides to a safe angle, before any entry to deeper sections (approaching or above 1.2m). Keep spoil and plant at least 0.5m from the trench edge. Inspect the excavation before each shift and after rain or any event affecting stability. Provide ladder access. Never enter an unsupported trench.	Low
Contact with, or being struck by, the mini-excavator during excavation and loading.	Operatives, banksman, public. Crush injury, struck-by, serious injury or fatality.	Trained and ticketed operator (CPCS/NPORS). Machine inspected before use. Seat belt worn.	3×4=12	Establish a barriered exclusion zone around the slew radius; only the banksman enters it, using an agreed signalling system. Check the quick-hitch is correctly engaged and the safety pin fitted before each use, and after every bucket change, to prevent bucket detachment. Isolate and lower the bucket to the ground when leaving the machine. Keep the public and other operatives clear during slewing.	Low
Manual handling of drainage pipes, fittings, bedding materials and manhole components.	Operatives. Musculoskeletal injuries to the back, shoulders and hands.	Manual handling trained operatives. Team lifting for longer pipe lengths.	3×2=6	Use the excavator to move heavy loads and lower materials into the trench where practicable. Pass pipes hand-to-hand rather than lifting from height into the trench. Team-lift manhole covers and frames. Assess loads before lifting, keep loads close, avoid twisting. Rotate tasks to reduce repetitive strain. Wear gloves.	Low
Contact with foul water / sewage during the manhole connection (biological hazard, including leptospirosis / Weil's disease).	Operatives. Gastrointestinal infection, leptospirosis, hepatitis; serious illness.	Awareness of infection risk from foul water. Hand-washing before eating.	2×4=8	Minimise exposure: divert or plug flow before breaking into the manhole where practicable. Wear waterproof gloves, eye protection and coveralls; cover any cuts or grazes with waterproof dressings before starting. Do not eat, drink or smoke without washing hands first; wash hands and forearms thoroughly with hot water and soap using the site hygiene facilities. Operatives briefed to report flu-like symptoms to a doctor and mention foul-water contact. No eating or drinking in the work area.	Low
Persons or vehicles falling or slipping into an open excavation, including members of the public.	Operatives, public, occupier, children. Falls into the trench causing fracture or serious injury.	Excavation kept to the minimum open length. General site tidiness.	3×3=9	Barrier off all open excavations with Heras fencing / edge barriers and warning signage. Cover or backfill excavations before leaving site each day where practicable; where an excavation must be left open, secure and light it and confirm the boundary is secure against public and children. Provide safe crossing points. Keep the surrounding area free of trip hazards and spoil. Maintain the occupier's safe access to the property.	Low
Contact with wet cement/concrete used for haunching and bedding the connection.	Operatives. Skin burns, dermatitis, eye damage from cement's alkalinity.	Awareness of cement irritant properties. General PPE worn.	2×3=6	Consult the Safety Data Sheet under COSHH. Wear waterproof gloves, eye protection and long sleeves; avoid kneeling in wet concrete. Wash any splashes off skin immediately with clean water; irrigate eyes and seek medical attention if affected. Barrier cream and welfare wash facilities available. Store cement dry and mix to avoid creating airborne dust.	Low

4. Plant & equipment

1.5t mini-excavator (inspected, thorough examination in date)
CAT and Genny (cable avoidance tool and signal generator, calibrated)
Trench box / hydraulic shoring (trench support system)
Ladders for trench access (EN 131)
Compactor plate / wacker
Air/water test equipment for drainage
Hand tools (shovels, spades, spirit level, saws)
Heras fencing, barriers and signage

5. Materials / COSHH

Wet cement and concrete used for haunching and the manhole connection are the principal COSHH substances: alkaline and irritant, capable of causing burns and dermatitis. Consult the Safety Data Sheet, wear waterproof gloves and eye protection, and wash splashes off immediately. Foul water at the manhole is a biological COSHH hazard (leptospirosis / gastrointestinal infection) controlled by hygiene measures and PPE. uPVC pipe and pea shingle present no significant COSHH risk. Any pipe-jointing lubricant is used per its data sheet. Diesel for the excavator is stored and handled to avoid spillage.

6. PPE

Safety footwear with steel toe and midsole penetration protection
High-visibility clothing
Safety helmet
Waterproof / chemical-resistant gloves (for foul water and cement)
Eye protection (when breaking out, cutting or handling cement)
Waterproof coveralls (during the foul-water connection)
Ear protection (during compaction and cutting)

7. Competence & training

The mini-excavator is operated only by a trained, ticketed operator (CPCS/NPORS). All operatives hold an EUSR Water Hygiene card for work involving foul water and are trained in manual handling and safe digging practice to HSG47. A trained banksman directs the excavator. R. Fields (Author) is the Site Supervisor, responsible for the permit to dig, the daily excavation inspection and the works briefing. NRSWA street works qualification held where the works affect the highway.

8. Permits

Excavation permit / permit to dig (authorised after services are located, before excavation begins).
Building control drainage connection approval and inspection sign-off.
Highways / footway licence or permit where the works affect the public highway or footpath.

9. Access & egress

Site access is off the private driveway; materials and the mini-excavator are brought in and positioned to keep the public footpath clear. Access into the trench is by ladder at battered or supported ends only, never by climbing the trench sides or the support system. The occupier's pedestrian access to the property is maintained throughout, with barriered crossing points over or around open excavations.

10. Welfare

A site cabin provides a WC and wash-hand facilities with hot water and soap, essential for hygiene given the foul-water works. Drinking water is provided. Operatives wash hands and forearms before any break and before eating; eating and drinking are only permitted in the welfare area, away from the excavation and foul-water works.

11. First aid

A stocked first aid kit is held in the site cabin and the company vehicle, with its location known to all operatives, and at least one trained first aider is on site. Waterproof dressings are used to cover cuts before foul-water work. Serious injury or a trench collapse: call 999 immediately, give the site address, do not enter an unstable trench to attempt a rescue, and follow the emergency plan. Operatives are briefed to seek medical advice for flu-like symptoms after foul-water contact and to mention the exposure.

12. Emergency procedures

In the event of a service strike, stop work, keep everyone clear, and for a gas strike prohibit ignition sources, evacuate and call the emergency services and the utility (National Gas 0800 111 999 for gas). For an electricity strike, do not touch the plant or cable and call the DNO. For a trench collapse, do not enter the trench, call 999, and only attempt rescue once the ground is made safe. Make the area safe, administer first aid and report reportable incidents under RIDDOR. In case of fire, evacuate to the agreed assembly point and call 999.

13. Environmental

Excavated spoil is stored on sheeting and reused for backfill where suitable; surplus is removed to a licensed facility. Foul water and any contaminated water are contained and disposed of correctly, never allowed to enter surface-water drains or watercourses. Silty run-off from the excavation is controlled. Concrete washout is contained, not tipped to ground or drains. The excavator is refuelled over a drip tray with a spill kit available. Noise and dust from excavation and compaction are minimised, and packaging and offcuts are segregated for recycling.

This document was AI-generated as a drafting aid. It is not a substitute for professional health & safety advice. It must be reviewed, verified and made site-specific by a competent person before use, briefed to all operatives, and updated when site conditions or the method change. The provider accepts no liability for use of this document on site.

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