What must be included in a risk assessment for this work?

Full scope and description of groundwork and excavation on sites with known or suspected ground contamination. Site-specific hazard identification and risk ratings. Risk control: dermal contact with contaminated soil containing heavy metals or hydrocarbons. Risk control: inhalation of volatile organic compounds or asbestos fibres in made ground. Risk control: methane or carbon dioxide migration from contaminated ground into excavations. PPE and RPE requirements for all personnel. Emergency procedures and response arrangements. Competency requirements and training records. Communication and briefing procedures. Supervision and monitoring arrangements. Review schedule and sign-off by competent person

Risk Assessment for Groundwork on Contaminated Land — UK

UK construction-safety guidance by the Riskora Editorial Team

Anyone planning groundwork on contaminated land on a UK site faces the same starting question: how is the work going to be controlled? The combination of unstable soil, hidden services, and heavy plant working close to operatives makes excavation one of the most planning-critical activities on any UK site. The legal position for groundwork on contaminated land is well established. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 and CDM 2015 require risk assessments for work on contaminated land. A well-written Risk Assessment converts the legal duty into something workers, supervisors and clients can actually use on the day.

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Example Risk Assessment

Full scope and description of groundwork and excavation on sites with known or suspected ground contamination
Site-specific hazard identification and risk ratings
Risk control: dermal contact with contaminated soil containing heavy metals or hydrocarbons
Risk control: inhalation of volatile organic compounds or asbestos fibres in made ground

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When This Document Is Required

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 and CDM 2015 require risk assessments for work on contaminated land. The site investigation report and remediation strategy must inform the risk assessment.

What Must Be Included

Full scope and description of groundwork and excavation on sites with known or suspected ground contamination
Site-specific hazard identification and risk ratings
Risk control: dermal contact with contaminated soil containing heavy metals or hydrocarbons
Risk control: inhalation of volatile organic compounds or asbestos fibres in made ground
Risk control: methane or carbon dioxide migration from contaminated ground into excavations
PPE and RPE requirements for all personnel
Emergency procedures and response arrangements
Competency requirements and training records
Communication and briefing procedures
Supervision and monitoring arrangements
Review schedule and sign-off by competent person

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using a generic template without adapting it to the specific groundwork and excavation on sites with known or suspected ground contamination conditions
Not reviewing the document when site conditions change
Missing sign-off from a competent person before work begins
Failing to consider dermal contact with contaminated soil containing heavy metals or hydrocarbons
Not addressing inhalation of volatile organic compounds or asbestos fibres in made ground
Not briefing all workers on the document content before work starts

Example Scenario

In Reading, a site manager is bidding for repeat work with a client who specifically asks to see the Risk Assessment as part of the pre-qualification pack. Using Riskora, they pick the relevant trade preset, drop in the project address, refine the pre-loaded hazards for groundwork on contaminated land, and export a clean PDF ready for sign-off the same afternoon. The finished document explicitly addresses dermal contact with contaminated soil containing heavy metals or hydrocarbons, which the principal contractor would otherwise expect to see written into the pack.

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Final RAMS must be reviewed and approved by a competent person before use.

Riskora is an assistive document preparation tool. All documents generated must be reviewed, verified, and approved by a competent person before use on site. Riskora does not replace professional safety judgment, and no output should be treated as a legal compliance guarantee.