Free checklist
Excavation and trench inspection checklist
Trench conditions change every day and after every rain, which is why this list is written to be run again rather than run once. It records the conditions that existed at the moment people were in the excavation.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Before breaking ground
Utility locates requested, marked and photographed
Marks visible on the ground and the ticket still valid for today's date.
Existing structures and surcharge loads identified
Adjacent foundations, poles and traffic loads assessed before the cut.
Soil classified and the protective system selected
Classification recorded by the competent person, not assumed from last week.
Protective systems
Sloping, benching or shoring matches the classification and depth
Photograph the system in place with the depth measured.
Trench box or shield installed and used correctly
Extends above the excavation as required; no working outside the protected zone.
Spoil and equipment set back from the edge
Clear setback maintained on all sides, including where material was moved today.
Access and conditions
Ladders or ramps within the required travel distance
Ladder extends above the surface and is secured; count the distance to the far crew.
No accumulated water, or water controlled and monitored
Pumping in place; a competent person watching while anyone is inside.
Atmosphere tested where conditions require it
Readings recorded before entry, not just the meter photographed.
Daily re-inspection
Excavation re-inspected before each shift and after rain
A new dated record each time. Yesterday's walk does not cover today.
Edges, barricades and traffic protection intact
Barricades still in position, no undermined edges from overnight water.
Backfill compacted in lifts and tested where specified
Lift thickness and test locations recorded before the next lift covers them.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Locates called but never photographed, so the marks are gone by the time the digging starts.
- Ladder more than the allowable travel distance from where crews are actually working.
- Spoil piled at the edge, then re-inspected only after a sidewall sloughs.
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this excavation checklist cover?
- 12 items across 4 sections, covering before breaking ground, protective systems, access and conditions, daily re-inspection. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- A competent person designated for excavation, before entry and after any condition change.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Daily before the first entry, after rainfall or freeze-thaw, and after any change to loading or depth.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- All 12 items call for photo evidence, 23 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails an excavation inspection?
- Locates called but never photographed, so the marks are gone by the time the digging starts. Ladder more than the allowable travel distance from where crews are actually working. Spoil piled at the edge, then re-inspected only after a sidewall sloughs.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Related checklists
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 23 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.