Excavation and digging work are among the most high-risk activities in construction, with serious hazards such as ground collapse, contact with underground services, and falling materials. Every year, workers are injured or killed because basic safety controls are overlooked. This course provides clear, practical guidance on how to plan and carry out excavation work safely, following the standards set out in HSE guidance.
By completing this training, you will understand the key risks associated with excavation, the legal duties of employers and workers, and the safe systems of work that must be in place. From locating and protecting buried services to shoring, battering, and safe access, you’ll gain the knowledge needed to reduce risks and help ensure every excavation is carried out safely.
How Our Courses Work
Here are some things you know:
- Our courses automatically save when you complete a module or quiz.
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- You will be prompted to move on to the next section/quiz when you reach the end of the section you are working on.
What This Course Covers
The course is broken down in to the following areas:
- Introduction to Safe Digging & Excavation
- Legal Framework and Regulatory Compliance (UK)
- Types of Excavation Activities
- Planning and Preparation
- Detection and Location of Underground Services
- Excavation Support Systems
- Hazard Identification and Risk Control
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Site Controls
- Monitoring, Supervision, and Emergency Preparedness
Course Certification
The course is broken down in to an introduction and modules for easy learning. At the end of each module, you will be given 5 question based on the information given.
You will need to get 4 out of 5 (80%) questions right. You will only be able to move on to the next section once you achieve this pass mark. You can re take the test as many times as you need.
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to the universally accepted Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Guidelines. On successful completion, you can download and print your certificates from your dashboard.
The time it has taken to complete this course is not reflected on the certification.
Course Duration
This course will take approximately 1 hour 30 mins.
Please note, here at ZATZ Ltd we feel it is important to not rush through this course, maybe take notes and learn all the content.
ZATZ Ltd – Terms and Conditions
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, ZATZ Ltd, including its shareholders, directors, employees, sales representatives, telesales staff, course authors, contractors, third-party content providers, and anyone otherwise associated with the company or its premises, shall not be held liable under any legal theory for any damages—whether direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive.
This includes, but is not limited to, damages arising from:
- Actions taken by individuals or departments based on course content
- Business interruption or cessation of work
- Loss of data, productivity, contracts, or commercial opportunities
- Technical or computer-related issues
Geographical Relevance
The content of our courses is designed specifically for the Construction Industry within England, Wales, and Scotland. Applicability outside these jurisdictions may vary.
Responsibility of Learners and Employers
ZATZ Ltd cannot be held responsible for any failure by individual workers or departments to act in accordance with the training provided. It is the responsibility of employers and learners to ensure that course content is properly understood and implemented in the workplace.
Course Updates and Accuracy
We take all reasonable steps to ensure that our course content remains current and legally accurate, including regular updates in line with changes to legislation, standards, and industry best practices.
Licensing Notice
This course includes public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
