Vacuum Excavation (Non-Destructive Digging) SWMS
Vacuum excavation (hydrovac and air-vac) for non-destructive digging near underground services — potholing, service exposure, and pit backfill in utilities and civil construction.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Vacuum excavation, also known as Non-Destructive Digging (NDD), is the preferred method for safely exposing underground utilities such as gas mains, electrical cables, telecommunications conduits, and water/sewer pipes. Using either pressurised water (hydrovac) or compressed air (air-vac) combined with a high-vacuum spoil recovery system, NDD operators perform potholing, service proving, and trenching tasks in close proximity to live assets. Despite being classified as 'non-destructive', this work carries serious risks including service strikes, high-pressure water injection injuries, and exposure to hazardous atmospheres in spoil pits.
Under the model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and WHS Regulation 2025 (adopted across all Australian jurisdictions except Victoria, which applies the OHS Act 2004), a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must prepare a Safe Work Method Statement before any High Risk Construction Work commences. Vacuum excavation routinely triggers multiple HRCW categories under Regulation 291, including work involving the disturbance of energised services and excavation work to a depth greater than 1.5 metres.
This SWMS is structured to meet the requirements of WHS Regulation 299 (content of a SWMS), aligns with AS/NZS 4491.1 Safe Working Near Underground Assets, and integrates state-based Dial Before You Dig (BYDA) referral obligations. It is reviewed and signed by a Certified Industrial Hygienist and is suitable for submission to principal contractors, asset owners, and utility authorities prior to work commencement.
Hazards identified
12 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Electrocution, arc flash burns, fatality
Explosion, fire, asphyxiation, multiple fatalities
Subcutaneous water/debris injection, tissue necrosis, amputation
Crush injury, asphyxiation, burial fatality
Acute toxicity, oxygen deficiency, unconsciousness
Whip injury, projectile spoil, eye penetration injuries
Operator crush injury, rollover fatality
Musculoskeletal disorders, hand-arm vibration syndrome
Noise-induced hearing loss exceeding the 85 dB(A) 8-hour exposure standard
Inhalation/dermal exposure, long-term occupational disease
Worker struck by vehicle, fatality
Sprains, fractures, secondary injury near excavation edge
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Lodge a Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) referral a minimum of 2 working days prior to commencement and onsite verification of plans against utility markers using a qualified locator (AS 5488 Quality Level B or better)
- 2Adopt water-jet pressure limits in accordance with AS/NZS 4491.1 — maximum 2,000 psi at the nozzle within 300 mm of any known service, using fan-tip (zero-degree tips prohibited)
- 3Implement a 'soft-dig only' exclusion zone of 500 mm around all located services; mechanical excavation is prohibited within this zone
- 4Conduct atmospheric testing with a calibrated 4-gas monitor (O₂, LEL, CO, H₂S) before any worker enters or breathes near a pit deeper than 1.2 m, with continuous monitoring per AS 2865
- 5Install trench shoring, benching or battering for all excavations exceeding 1.5 m depth in accordance with the SafeWork Excavation Work Code of Practice
- 6Establish traffic management in accordance with AS 1742.3 with TGS approved by the road authority; deploy compliant high-visibility clothing to AS/NZS 4602.1
- 7Operators wearing dielectric gloves (Class 0 — 1,000V tested) and full face shield with chemical splash rating when within 1 m of the lance tip
- 8Pre-start inspection of vacuum hoses, couplings, and slurry tank pressure relief valves; tag-out any unit failing inspection
- 9Hearing protection (Class 5, SLC80 ≥26 dB) mandatory within 10 m of operating blower; rotate operators to keep noise dose below the 85 dB(A) exposure standard under WHS Reg 56
- 10Pre-work contamination assessment of spoil; if asbestos, lead, or PFAS is suspected, escalate to a licensed removalist and treat per the Asbestos Code of Practice 2020
- 11Operator competency: Cert III in Civil Construction (Vacuum Loading) RII30920 or equivalent VOC, plus current BYDA service location training
- 12Emergency response plan posted at the truck including utility emergency contacts (gas, electrical), first aid for high-pressure injection injury (immediate hospital transfer — even minor punctures), and rescue procedure for pit entry
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates SWMS, shoring, and atmospheric testing for excavations >1.5 m
General duties for construction work and HRCW SWMS content requirements
Sets minimum standards for hydrovac pressures, locating, and exclusion zones near services
Defines Quality Levels A–D for service location accuracy used in pre-excavation planning
Applies where pit configuration and atmosphere meet confined space definition
Covers vacuum truck plant risk assessment, guarding, and isolation
Provides the hierarchy of control framework applied throughout this SWMS
Required where NDD work occurs on or adjacent to a trafficked road or footpath
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Service exposure pits and proving holes for deeper assets (sewer mains, HV cables in conduit) routinely exceed 1.5 m depth, mandating shoring and a SWMS under WHS Reg 291.
NDD is regularly used to expose live LV and HV cables; the proximity of the lance and the worker to energised conductors triggers this category irrespective of pit depth.
The vacuum truck itself is powered mobile plant operating in close proximity to ground workers, lance operators, and traffic on live carriageways.
Potholing routinely exposes reticulated gas mains where strike or damage would release pressurised, flammable gas requiring this HRCW classification.
Because this work meets the definition of High Risk Construction Work under WHS Regulation 291, the PCBU must prepare a SWMS before work starts (Reg 299), provide it to the principal contractor on request (Reg 300), ensure work is performed in accordance with the SWMS (Reg 301), and stop work immediately if a control is not implemented or the SWMS is not being followed (Reg 302). Failure to do so attracts Category 2 penalties under Section 32 of the WHS Act — up to $1.8M for a body corporate.
Who this is for
- →Civil contractors and utility locators performing potholing for telco, power, water, and gas
- →NDD service providers operating hydrovac and air-vac trucks under contract to asset owners
- →Principal contractors requiring sub-contractor SWMS as part of site induction
- →Local government works crews performing in-house service proving and pit installation
- →Tier 2/3 civil construction firms tendering on infrastructure projects with NDD scope
- →WHS managers and safety advisors responsible for HRCW documentation review
What you receive
- ✓Fully editable Microsoft Word (DOCX) SWMS template, pre-populated for vacuum excavation works
- ✓State-specific legislation schedule covering NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, and NT
- ✓Standalone hazard register (Excel-compatible) aligned with the 12 hazards in this SWMS
- ✓Worker sign-on / consultation register meeting WHS Reg 299(2) requirements
- ✓Pre-start checklist for vacuum truck plant and atmospheric monitoring equipment
- ✓Embedded BYDA referral verification and service-proving worksheet
- ✓Emergency response and high-pressure injection injury first-aid quick reference card
- ✓Free updates for 12 months when codes of practice or AS/NZS standards are amended
Worked example
A civil utilities crew is engaged by a telecommunications carrier to expose a fibre optic conduit at 1.8 m depth alongside a Jemena gas main in suburban Brunswick, Victoria. The supervisor lodges a BYDA referral, receives plans, and engages a DBYD-certified locator to mark services to AS 5488 Quality Level B. Onsite, the operator opens this SWMS on a tablet, walks the crew through the 12 identified hazards, and obtains worker sign-on. The lance operator wears Class 0 dielectric gloves, a full face shield, Class 5 hearing protection, and AS/NZS 4602.1 high-vis. A 4-gas monitor is lowered into the pit and confirms 20.9% O₂, 0% LEL prior to entry. At 1.5 m depth, shoring boxes are deployed in line with the Excavation Code of Practice. The hydrovac pressure is dialled back to 1,800 psi and a fan-tip nozzle fitted as the locator confirms the gas main is within 500 mm. Mid-task, the gas detector alarms at 12% LEL — work stops immediately, the crew evacuates upwind to the 50 m exclusion zone defined in the emergency response plan, and the gas authority is contacted. Because the SWMS, controls, and stop-work trigger were documented and followed, the PCBU has demonstrated compliance with WHS Regulations 299–302 and protected workers from a potentially fatal incident.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth model) — adopted in NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, ACT, NT, WA
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (VIC) and OHS Regulations 2017
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 — Part 6.3 Construction Work
- Electricity (Network Safety) Regulations and state-based 'No Go Zone' frameworks
- Gas Safety Act 1997 (VIC) and equivalent state gas safety legislation
- Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) — protection of carrier assets
- Environment Protection Act 2017 (VIC) and equivalent state EP Acts — spoil and contaminated water disposal duties
Frequently asked questions
Does vacuum excavation always require a SWMS, even for shallow potholing under 1.5 m?
Yes, in almost all cases. Even when the pit is shallow, NDD work near energised services or pressurised gas mains independently triggers HRCW categories 11 and 17 under WHS Regulation 291. A SWMS must be prepared before work starts regardless of depth.
Is a BYDA / Dial Before You Dig referral a legal requirement?
While BYDA itself is a free industry service rather than a statute, the duty to identify underground services before excavation flows directly from the WHS Act primary duty of care (s.19) and the Excavation Code of Practice. Failing to lodge a referral and verify services is routinely cited as a breach in regulator prosecutions following service strikes.
What hydrovac pressure is considered safe near services?
AS/NZS 4491.1 recommends a maximum 2,000 psi at the nozzle within 300 mm of a located service, using only fan-tip (typically 40°) nozzles. Zero-degree (pencil) tips are prohibited within exclusion zones because they can pierce cable insulation, plastic gas mains, and human tissue.
Do I need a confined space permit for a vacuum excavation pit?
Not automatically. A pit only becomes a confined space under AS 2865 if it meets the definition — restricted entry/exit, not designed for human occupancy, and a risk of hazardous atmosphere or engulfment. Most service-proving holes are not confined spaces, but deep sewer or stormwater pits often are. The SWMS includes a decision aid to determine when a confined space permit and additional controls apply.
Who must sign the SWMS?
Every worker performing the high risk construction work must be consulted on the SWMS and sign on before commencing. The supervisor or PCBU representative must also sign. The included sign-on register satisfies WHS Reg 299(2) and must be retained for at least the duration of the work, or for 2 years if a notifiable incident occurs.
How often does this SWMS need to be reviewed?
Under WHS Regulation 302, a SWMS must be reviewed and revised whenever the work or hazards change, an incident occurs, a control proves ineffective, or a HSR requests review. As a baseline best practice, the document should also be reviewed annually or when referenced codes of practice are updated.