Safety Statement for a Civil Engineering Contractor: What Makes It Different

A civil engineering contractor's Safety Statement has specific requirements that differ from a general building contractor's.

# Safety Statement for a Civil Engineering Contractor: What Makes It Different --- Every employer in Ireland is required to have a Safety Statement under Section 20 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. For a civil engineering contractor, however, the Safety Statement must address a set of hazards and risks that are substantially different from those faced by a general building contractor. Ground conditions, groundwater, heavy plant, deep excavations, confined spaces, and work near live traffic are just some of the hazards that are specific to or particularly prominent in civil engineering work. A generic Safety Statement that has been adapted from a building contractor's template will not adequately address these risks. This article explains what a civil engineering contractor's Safety Statement must contain, what makes it different from a general building contractor's document, and the most common gaps that safety inspectors find in civil engineering Safety Statements. --- ## The Core Legal Requirements The Safety Statement must be based on the risk assessment required under Section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. It must specify: - The hazards identified and the risks assessed - The protective and preventive measures taken and the resources provided - The plans and procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency - The duties of employees as regards safety, health, and welfare - The names and job titles of persons responsible for safety - The arrangements for safety representation These requirements are the same for all employers. What differs for a civil engineering contractor is the content of the risk assessments and the specific hazards and control measures that must be addressed. --- ## Hazards Specific to Civil Engineering ### Excavations and Ground Conditions Deep excavations are one of the most significant hazards in civil engineering work. A collapse of an unsupported excavation can bury workers in seconds, and the consequences are almost always fatal. The Safety Statement must address: - The requirement to assess ground conditions before excavation begins, including the presence of groundwater, unstable soils, and existing services - The support systems to be used for excavations exceeding 1.25 metres in depth (the threshold at which support is generally required under Irish guidance) - The inspection regime for excavations, including inspection before each shift, after rainfall, and after any event that could affect stability - The competence requirements for persons carrying out excavation inspections - The arrangements for locating underground services before excavation begins The Safety Statement should also address the specific risks associated with the types of ground conditions encountered in the contractor's typical work areas. In Leinster, for example, contractors working in areas with a high water table or in made ground (filled land) face different challenges from those working in competent rock. ### Heavy Plant and Vehicles Civil engineering sites typically involve a higher density of heavy plant and vehicles than building sites. Excavators, dumpers, rollers, graders, piling rigs, and heavy goods vehicles all operate in close proximity to workers on foot. The Safety Statement must address: - The site traffic management arrangements, including the segregation of pedestrians and plant - The arrangements for reversing vehicles, including the use of banksmen and reversing cameras - The exclusion zones for heavy plant - The competence requirements for plant operators - The arrangements for managing deliveries and the movement of HGVs on and around the site ### Groundwater and Flooding Civil engineering work frequently involves working in or near water. Drainage works, culvert construction, river crossings, and coastal works all involve exposure to groundwater or surface water. The Safety Statement must address: - The risk of flooding in excavations, particularly in areas with a high water table or near watercourses - The dewatering arrangements for excavations - The risk of workers falling into water - The emergency procedures for a worker who falls into water, including the provision of rescue equipment ### Work Near Live Traffic Many civil engineering projects involve work on or near public roads. Road maintenance, drainage works, utility installations, and bridge works all require workers to operate in close proximity to live traffic. The Safety Statement must address: - The requirements of the relevant Traffic Management Guidelines (the NRA/TII guidelines for national roads, and the local authority guidelines for regional and local roads) - The arrangements for traffic management, including the use of traffic management plans, temporary traffic signals, and lane closures - The personal protective equipment requirements for workers near live traffic, including high-visibility clothing - The competence requirements for persons responsible for traffic management ### Piling and Foundation Work Piling work involves specific hazards including the risk of structural collapse, the risk of workers being struck by the piling rig or its components, and the risk of ground instability. The Safety Statement must address: - The competence requirements for piling contractors and operatives - The exclusion zones for piling rigs - The arrangements for managing the risk of ground instability during piling operations - The emergency procedures for a piling rig malfunction or structural incident ### Confined Spaces Civil engineering work frequently involves entry into confined spaces: manholes, culverts, pipelines, tanks, and underground chambers. The Safety Statement must address the confined space entry procedures required under the General Application Regulations 2007, including: - The requirement for a permit to work system for all confined space entries - The competence requirements for persons entering and supervising confined space work - The atmospheric testing requirements before and during confined space entry - The rescue plan and rescue equipment requirements - The emergency procedures for a confined space incident --- ## What a Civil Engineering Safety Statement Must Include That a Building Contractor's May Not The following table summarises the key additional elements that a civil engineering contractor's Safety Statement must address compared to a general building contractor's document: | Element | Civil Engineering Contractor | General Building Contractor | |---|---|---| | Deep excavation risk assessment | Essential | Less commonly required | | Groundwater and flooding | Essential | Rarely required | | Work near live traffic | Essential for most projects | Occasionally required | | Piling and foundation work | Often required | Rarely required | | Confined space entry procedures | Essential | Occasionally required | | Heavy plant density management | Essential | Required but typically lower density | | Ground investigation and services | Essential | Required but typically less complex | | Environmental risk (watercourses, contaminated land) | Often required | Rarely required | --- ## Common Gaps in Civil Engineering Safety Statements Based on HSA inspection findings and industry experience, the following are the most common gaps found in Safety Statements prepared by civil engineering contractors. **Generic excavation risk assessments.** The risk assessment refers to "excavation work" in general terms without addressing the specific ground conditions, depths, and support systems relevant to the contractor's typical projects. A risk assessment that could apply to any excavation anywhere in Ireland is not specific enough. **No confined space procedures.** Many civil engineering contractors carry out confined space work (manhole entry, culvert inspection) but their Safety Statement contains no confined space entry procedures. This is a serious omission that is likely to result in an improvement notice from the HSA. **Inadequate traffic management provisions.** The Safety Statement acknowledges the risk of working near live traffic but does not describe the specific traffic management arrangements that will be implemented or the competence requirements for traffic management personnel. **No groundwater or flooding risk assessment.** Contractors working in areas with a high water table or near watercourses frequently fail to address the risk of flooding in excavations in their Safety Statement. **Out-of-date plant and equipment lists.** The Safety Statement lists plant and equipment that the contractor no longer uses, or fails to include new plant that has been acquired since the document was last reviewed. --- ## Reviewing and Updating the Safety Statement A civil engineering contractor's Safety Statement must be reviewed at least annually and whenever there is a significant change in the business, including: - Taking on new types of work (for example, a drainage contractor who begins to carry out road maintenance work) - Acquiring new plant or equipment - Employing new categories of worker - Following an accident, near miss, or dangerous occurrence - When new legislation or guidance is published that affects the contractor's work The Safety Statement must also be reviewed before starting a new project if that project involves hazards or risks that are not adequately addressed in the existing document. --- If you need help preparing or reviewing a Safety Statement for your civil engineering business, Safety Check can assist. We have extensive experience working with civil engineering contractors across Leinster and understand the specific hazards and legal requirements involved. [Contact us](/contact) to discuss your requirements.