HDD Pre-Bore Daily Safety Walkdown
Pre-bore safety walkdown for horizontal directional drilling crews to verify the bore plan, utility locates, exclusion zones, tracker communication, and go/no-go readiness before drilling starts.
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Built for: Construction · Utilities · Telecommunications · Civil Infrastructure
Overview
The HDD Pre-Bore Daily Safety Walkdown template is a shift-start inspection for horizontal directional drilling crews. It is built to verify the bore plan, confirm utility locates, establish exclusion zones, test tracker communication, and document the final go/no-go decision before drilling begins.
Use this template when a crew is preparing to start a new bore, resume work after a pause, or work under changing site conditions that could affect the path, depth, or controls. It is especially useful on utility, telecom, water, sewer, and civil infrastructure jobs where a missed locate, unclear bore path, or weak crew communication can create a serious strike hazard.
The template is not meant for general equipment maintenance or post-incident investigation. It is also not the right form for unrelated excavation work that does not involve directional drilling. If the bore plan is still being developed, if permits are not issued, or if the site has unresolved critical hazards, the correct outcome is to hold the job rather than force a sign-off. The walkdown should end with a clear yes/no decision and a record of any deficiencies, corrective actions, and escalation steps.
Standards & compliance context
- This template supports OSHA construction and general industry expectations for hazard recognition, competent-person oversight, and controlled work areas on utility and excavation-adjacent jobs.
- It aligns with common utility damage prevention practices by requiring locate verification, potholing or daylighting where needed, and escalation of unmarked or uncertain utilities before drilling.
- The exclusion zone and communication checks support ANSI/ASSP-style safety management practices for line-of-fire control, crew coordination, and stop-work authority.
- If the jobsite has permit conditions, municipal requirements, or AHJ directives, those controls should be added to the walkdown before the bore begins.
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
Inspection Setup
This section establishes who is responsible, when the walkdown happened, and whether conditions were safe enough to begin the review.
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Jobsite, date, and crew identified
Record the project name or location, inspection date, and crew or foreman name.
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Inspector is designated competent person or authorized supervisor
Confirm the person completing the walkdown is authorized to stop work and correct hazards.
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Pre-bore walkdown completed before drilling start
Verify the inspection is performed before any bore initiation or reaming activity.
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Weather and ground conditions reviewed for safe start
Confirm weather, visibility, access, and ground conditions do not create an immediate hazard for the planned work.
Bore Plan and Work Scope Review
This section confirms the crew is drilling to the current approved plan and that any changed conditions have been communicated before work starts.
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Current bore plan available on site
Confirm the latest approved bore plan, drawings, or work package is present at the jobsite.
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Entry and exit points match the approved plan
Verify the planned entry and exit locations are marked and match the current bore plan.
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Planned bore depth and path reviewed with crew
Confirm the crew reviewed the intended bore depth, alignment, and any known changes to the route.
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Known hazards and change conditions communicated
Verify any changes in site conditions, nearby work, traffic, or surface hazards were communicated before work starts.
Utility Locate Verification
This section checks that the crew has verified the underground utility picture before the bore path is opened up.
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Required utility locates completed and visible
Verify all required utility markings are present, legible, and visible in the bore area.
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Utility locate marks verified against bore path
Confirm the locate marks were checked against the planned bore path and offsets before drilling.
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Potholing or daylighting completed where required
Verify test holes, potholing, or daylighting were completed at required crossings or conflict points.
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Unmarked or uncertain utilities escalated before work
Confirm any unmarked, conflicting, or uncertain utility information was reported and resolved before drilling begins.
Exclusion Zone and Site Controls
This section makes sure people, vehicles, and equipment are kept out of the line of fire around the bore corridor.
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Exclusion zone established around bore path and equipment
Verify the exclusion zone is set up around the drill, bore path, and support equipment as required by the job plan.
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Barricades, cones, or signage in place and intact
Confirm physical controls are positioned to keep unauthorized personnel out of the work area.
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Traffic and pedestrian controls established where needed
Verify spotters, flagging, detours, or other controls are in place if the work affects traffic or pedestrian movement.
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Overhead and underground clearance maintained
Confirm the work area maintains required clearance from overhead lines, structures, and underground conflict points.
Tracker Communication and Equipment Readiness
This section verifies that the locator, drill operator, and shutdown controls are ready before the first bore.
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Tracker and drill operator communication tested
Confirm the locator/tracker and drill operator can communicate clearly using the agreed method before drilling starts.
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Tracker equipment powered, calibrated, and functioning
Verify the tracking system is powered on, operating normally, and set up for the planned bore.
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Emergency stop and shutdown procedure reviewed
Confirm the crew reviewed stop-work signals, emergency shutdown steps, and escalation contacts.
PPE and Final Go/No-Go
This section closes the inspection by confirming the crew is protected and that no unresolved critical deficiencies remain.
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Required PPE worn by crew
Verify the crew is wearing job-required PPE such as hard hats, hi-vis apparel, eye protection, gloves, and protective footwear.
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No unresolved critical deficiencies remain
Confirm all critical items are complete and no unresolved deficiency remains that would prevent a safe start.
How to use this template
- Enter the jobsite, date, crew names, and the competent person or authorized supervisor who is leading the walkdown before anyone starts drilling.
- Review the current bore plan on site, confirm the entry and exit points match the approved route, and communicate any changed conditions to the crew.
- Verify utility locates against the planned bore path, confirm potholing or daylighting where required, and escalate any unmarked or uncertain utilities immediately.
- Walk the exclusion zone, traffic controls, and overhead and underground clearances to make sure barricades, cones, signage, and access limits are in place and intact.
- Test tracker and drill operator communication, confirm the tracker is powered and calibrated, review emergency stop and shutdown steps, and then record the final go/no-go decision with any corrective actions.
Best practices
- Walk the full bore corridor in the same direction the drill will travel so the crew sees the job the way the hazard will unfold.
- Treat any locate mismatch, missing mark, or uncertain utility as a stop-work condition until it is verified or re-marked.
- Photograph the bore plan, locate marks, exclusion zone controls, and any deficiency at the time of inspection so the record matches field conditions.
- Confirm tracker communication with the drill operator before the first bore and again after any radio or visibility issue.
- Use a competent person or authorized supervisor to make the final go/no-go call, not the newest crew member or a bystander.
- Keep traffic and pedestrian controls separate from the bore path review so public exposure is not overlooked during the utility check.
- Document the corrective action and the person who cleared it whenever a deficiency is fixed before work resumes.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Frequently asked questions
What does this HDD pre-bore daily safety walkdown cover?
It covers the pre-shift checks a horizontal directional drilling crew should complete before the first bore begins. The template walks through the bore plan, utility locate verification, exclusion zones, tracker communication, equipment readiness, PPE, and the final go/no-go decision. It is designed to catch unsafe conditions before drilling starts, not to document the drilling process itself.
Who should complete this walkdown?
A competent person or authorized supervisor should lead the walkdown, with the drill operator, locator/tracker, and other affected crew members participating. The person signing off should be able to recognize hazards, stop work, and escalate unresolved deficiencies. If your site uses a different role title, the template can be reassigned without changing the inspection flow.
How often should this template be used?
Use it at the start of each drilling shift and again whenever conditions change enough to affect the bore, utility exposure, or site controls. Common triggers include a revised bore path, new locate information, weather changes, ground disturbance, or a crew handoff. If the job pauses and resumes later, a fresh walkdown is usually the safer choice.
What regulations or standards does it support?
This template supports OSHA general industry and construction safety expectations, along with utility damage prevention practices and common ANSI/ASSP safety program controls. It also aligns with the practical expectations behind competent-person oversight, hazard communication, exclusion zones, and equipment readiness. If your organization uses a formal OHS program, it can also fit into ISO 9001 or ANSI/ASSP Z10-style audit records.
What are the most common mistakes this inspection catches?
The most common misses are outdated bore plans, locate marks that do not match the planned path, missing potholing where it was required, and exclusion zones that were never fully set up. Teams also overlook tracker communication problems, uncalibrated equipment, and unresolved critical hazards that should have stopped the job. This template is built to surface those issues before they become a utility strike or crew exposure event.
Can this template be customized for different job types?
Yes. You can add fields for local utility owner requirements, municipal permit conditions, soil type, fluid management controls, or project-specific hold points. Many teams also add photo attachments, locate ticket numbers, and a sign-off field for the utility coordinator or superintendent.
How does this compare with an informal pre-job huddle?
A pre-job huddle is useful, but it often leaves gaps because it is not structured around the actual bore hazards. This template forces a consistent review of the bore plan, locates, exclusion zones, tracker communication, and PPE before work starts. That makes it easier to prove the crew checked the right items and easier to spot a non-conformance before drilling begins.
What should happen if a critical deficiency is found?
The job should pause until the deficiency is corrected or the hazard is formally controlled and re-verified. Examples include uncertain utilities, missing locates, uncontrolled pedestrian exposure, or failed tracker communication. The template should record the issue, the corrective action, and the person who cleared the hold point before work resumes.
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