Excavation Competent Person Daily Permit
A daily excavation permit for the competent person to document trench conditions, protective systems, spoil placement, hazard checks, and whether work can proceed.
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Overview
The Excavation Competent Person Daily Permit is a shift-level safety form for documenting the conditions that determine whether trench or excavation work can continue. It captures the permit date, jobsite, location, competent person, excavation size, soil classification, soil test method, protective system status, access and egress, spoil setback, edge protection, atmospheric checks, utility marking, water accumulation, additional hazards, and the final authorization decision.
Use this template when a competent person needs a repeatable record of daily excavation checks, especially on jobs where conditions can change between shifts or after weather, equipment movement, or utility exposure. It is useful for trenching, pipe installation, foundation work, and maintenance digs where the crew needs a clear go/no-go decision before entering the excavation.
Do not use it as a substitute for a full site safety plan, engineered shoring design, or utility locate process. It is also not the right fit for shallow, low-risk digging that does not require excavation-specific controls. The form is most valuable when it is completed in the field, before work starts, with conditional logic that hides non-applicable sections and a clear submission outcome that shows whether corrective actions are needed.
Standards & compliance context
- This template supports excavation safety documentation by recording the daily checks a competent person uses to decide whether a trench can be entered.
- The form structure aligns with data minimization by collecting only the fields needed to evaluate excavation conditions and authorize work.
- If you add worker names, incident details, or other PII, include a clear disclosure about how the information will be used and who can access it.
- For any public-facing or mobile form, keep labels, validation, and error states accessible to support WCAG 2.1 AA use in the field.
General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.
What's inside this template
Permit Details
This section identifies the job, location, and shift so the permit is tied to the exact excavation being reviewed.
- Permit Date
- Jobsite / Project Name
-
Excavation Location Description
Describe the trench or excavation location clearly enough for the crew to identify it in the field.
- Competent Person Name
- Shift Start Time
Excavation Conditions
This section captures the physical trench details and soil information that drive the safety decision.
- Maximum Excavation Depth (ft)
- Approximate Excavation Length (ft)
- Soil Classification
- Soil Test Method Used
- Other Soil Test Method
Protective System and Access
This section confirms the controls that keep workers protected and able to enter or exit safely.
- Protective System in Use
-
Protective system installed and maintained correctly
Confirm the system matches the excavation conditions and is free of visible damage or displacement.
-
Safe access and egress provided within required travel distance
Confirm ladders, ramps, or other means of egress are in place and usable.
-
Spoil pile setback compliant
Confirm spoil, materials, and equipment are kept at least 2 feet from the edge unless site procedures require a greater distance.
- Edge protection and barricades in place
Atmospheric and Hazard Checks
This section records site-specific hazards that can change whether the excavation is safe to enter.
- Atmospheric testing required for this excavation today
- Atmospheric Test Results
- Underground utilities located and marked
- Water accumulation present
- Additional hazards observed
- Hazard Notes
Authorization and Submission
This section turns the inspection into a clear decision, with corrective actions and a signed record of approval or توقف.
-
I have inspected the excavation and authorize work to proceed for this shift
Submit only when the excavation conditions, protective system, and controls are acceptable for the current shift.
- Corrective actions required before work can continue
- Competent Person Signature
How to use this template
- Create the permit record at the start of the shift and enter the permit date, jobsite name, location description, competent person, and shift start time.
- Record the excavation dimensions and soil details, using the correct field type for each value and selecting the soil test method used on site.
- Verify the protective system, access and egress, spoil setback, and edge protection, then mark each field based on what is actually present in the trench area.
- Complete atmospheric and hazard checks only when they apply, including utility markings, water accumulation, and any additional hazards with brief notes.
- Set work authorized to yes or no, list any corrective actions needed when conditions are not acceptable, and capture the competent person signature before crews proceed.
Best practices
- Use a date picker for the permit date and numeric inputs for excavation depth and length so the record is easy to read and validate.
- Mark required fields clearly and keep optional hazard notes limited to facts the competent person can verify on site.
- Use conditional logic to show atmospheric testing fields only when testing is required, instead of forcing every crew to complete irrelevant sections.
- Document the soil test method at the time of inspection, not from memory after the shift ends.
- Record whether the protective system was installed correctly before authorizing entry, and do not rely on a generic yes if the system is incomplete.
- Capture spoil setback and edge protection separately, since a compliant spoil pile does not automatically mean the excavation edge is protected.
- Add a clear submit-confirmation line so the crew knows whether the permit is approved, paused for correction, or rejected.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Frequently asked questions
Who should complete this excavation permit?
The competent person should complete and sign it at the jobsite before work starts, since this template is built to document the daily conditions they are responsible for evaluating. It is not meant for a general crew member to fill out after the fact. If the competent person changes during the shift, the new person should review the existing entries and update the permit as needed.
How often should this permit be used?
Use it daily, and again whenever site conditions change in a way that could affect trench safety. That includes rain, water accumulation, soil sloughing, changes to excavation depth, new utility exposure, or a different protective system. A one-time permit is not enough for an excavation that evolves over multiple shifts.
What kind of excavation work does this template fit?
It fits trenching and excavation jobs where the competent person needs to record soil classification, protective system status, access and egress, spoil placement, and hazard checks. It works well for utility installs, foundation digs, pipe repairs, and maintenance excavations. If the work is only surface-level digging with no trench hazards, this level of documentation may be more than you need.
What happens after I submit the permit?
The permit should create a clear record that the site was reviewed, whether work was authorized, and what corrective actions are required before proceeding. If work is not authorized, the form should route the issue to the supervisor or responsible party for correction and reinspection. Keep the completed permit with the job record so there is an audit trail for the shift.
Do I need to record atmospheric testing on every excavation?
No, only when atmospheric testing is required based on the site conditions, depth, nearby hazards, or the possibility of a hazardous atmosphere. The template includes a conditional section so you only capture those results when they apply. That keeps the form aligned with data minimization and avoids collecting fields that are not relevant to the job.
Can this be customized for different trench protection methods?
Yes. You can tailor the protective system field to match the methods your crews actually use, such as sloping, benching, shoring, or shielding. You can also add conditional logic for specific checks tied to your equipment, soil categories, or local procedures. Keep the required fields focused on what the competent person must verify every day.
How does this compare with a paper checklist or ad hoc notes?
A structured template is easier to review, easier to standardize across crews, and less likely to miss a critical safety check. Ad hoc notes often skip key items like spoil setback, access and egress, or whether the protective system was installed correctly. This template gives you a repeatable record instead of relying on memory or inconsistent free text.
What integrations make sense for this form?
Common integrations include e-signature capture, mobile field submission, photo attachments, and storage in a safety or document management system. If your workflow uses incident tracking or corrective action logs, connect the permit so failed checks can create follow-up tasks automatically. A timestamped submission also helps preserve the audit trail.
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