How to Write a Method Statement for Groundworks

Why groundworks method statements get people killed

Groundworks consistently sits at the top of construction fatality statistics. Trench collapses, struck-by incidents from plant, and cable strikes kill and seriously injure workers every year — and in a significant number of those incidents, either no method statement existed or the one on file was a generic copy-paste that nobody had actually read.

If you are a site manager, engineer or groundworks foreman about to start a dig — even a shallow drainage run — you need a method statement that reflects the actual ground conditions, the actual plant on site and the actual sequence of work. Here is how to write one properly.

What a groundworks method statement must cover

A method statement for groundworks is a written record of how the work will be carried out safely, step by step. It is usually read alongside the risk assessment (together these are your RAMS). For groundworks, the document should address all of the following areas.

1. Scope of works and location

Start by being specific. "Groundworks at Unit 4" tells nobody anything useful. Instead, state:

• The type of work — strip foundations, drainage installation, service ducting, pile cap excavation, etc.
• The location on site — reference a drawing number if you have one
• Approximate depth and extent of the excavation
• The expected soil type if known (made ground, clay, chalk, etc.)

This section sets the context for everything that follows. Inspectors and subcontractors need to read this and immediately understand what they are dealing with.

2. Plant, equipment and personnel

List every item of plant that will be used — 360 excavator, dumper, vibrating plate, trench box, etc. — and state the operator competency requirements (CPCS card, NPORS, etc.). Include the number of operatives required and any minimum supervision level.

Do not forget to include hand tools, lifting equipment and temporary works items such as trench struts. If a laser level or GPS machine control system is being used, note it here too.

3. Utility identification and permit to dig

This is the section that gets skipped most often and causes the most serious incidents. Your method statement must describe:

• How services were identified — utility drawings obtained, CAT and Genny scan completed
• Who carried out the scan and what their competency is
• The hand-dig exclusion zone around identified services (typically 500 mm either side)
• Whether a permit-to-dig system is in place and who authorises it
• What happens if an unexpected service is struck — isolation procedure, emergency contacts

If the groundworks are on a brownfield site or near existing infrastructure, consider adding a separate section on contaminated land precautions.

4. Excavation support and edge protection

State clearly how the excavation will be made safe against collapse. Options include:

• Battering back to a safe angle (typically 45° in stable ground, shallower in soft or made ground)
• Timber or steel trench sheets with waling frames
• Proprietary trench boxes or drag boxes
• Sheet piling for deeper or more complex excavations

Reference any temporary works design if one exists, and name the Temporary Works Coordinator if applicable. State the inspection regime — excavations should be inspected at the start of every shift, after any event that could have affected stability (heavy rain, nearby plant movement) and at least every seven days. Record these inspections on a WS1 form.

5. Sequence of operations

This is the heart of the document. Write out the sequence in plain, numbered steps. For example:

1. CAT scan completed and recorded by competent person
2. Excavation area marked out and barriers erected
3. Machine dig to 300 mm above known service level
4. Hand dig to expose and confirm service
5. Trench box installed as machine advances
6. Drainage pipe laid, jointed and tested
7. Selected granular backfill placed in 150 mm compacted layers
8. Reinstatement of surface — temporary or permanent as specified

Keep the language simple. If your operatives cannot follow the steps, the method statement is not doing its job.

6. Spoil management and groundwater control

State where excavated material will be stockpiled. It should be kept away from the excavation edge — at least the depth of the excavation as a minimum guide — to prevent surcharge loading. Confirm whether the material is being removed from site and, if so, whether a waste carrier and transfer note are required.

If groundwater ingress is expected, describe the dewatering method: sump and pump, wellpoint system, or gravity drainage. State where pumped water is being discharged and whether an abstraction or discharge consent is needed.

7. Plant exclusion zones and traffic management

Describe how the excavation area is segregated from pedestrians and from other plant. Include banksman requirements for any reversing vehicles. If the site is on or near a public highway, reference the traffic management scheme.

8. Emergency arrangements

Include the site emergency number, the location of the nearest hospital with A&E, and the rescue procedure for a trench collapse or entrapment. Make sure operatives know not to enter an unstable excavation to help a trapped colleague — rescuers die this way. The rescue plan should involve mechanical means first.

Keeping it readable and usable on site

A method statement that lives only in a site office folder achieves very little. Print a copy and brief the gang against it before work starts — this is your pre-start briefing. Get signatures to confirm they have understood it. Photographs of the actual site conditions taken at the time of writing make the document far more useful than generic diagrams.

If site conditions change — unexpected ground conditions, a service found in the wrong position, plant changes — the method statement needs to be reviewed and reissued before work continues. A document that no longer reflects reality is worse than useless because it creates false confidence.

A faster way to get a first draft together

Writing a thorough method statement from scratch under time pressure on a busy site is genuinely difficult. Safety Parrot lets you take photos of the site conditions and generate a structured, editable safety document in seconds — which you can then review, adapt to your specific ground conditions and issue. It works on your phone, tablet or desktop, and you only pay for what you use. It will not replace your professional judgement, but it can give you a solid starting framework so you are not staring at a blank page at seven in the morning.

Summary checklist

Before you sign off your groundworks method statement, check it covers:

• Scope, location and soil conditions
• Plant list and operator competencies
• Utility identification and permit-to-dig procedure
• Excavation support method and inspection regime
• Step-by-step sequence of operations
• Spoil disposal and groundwater control
• Plant exclusion zones and banksman requirements
• Emergency and rescue procedure

Get those eight areas right and you have a document that will genuinely protect your team, satisfy your principal contractor and stand up to scrutiny from an HSE inspector.