Exams / HS&E Operatives / Excavations and confined spaces / Question 4
HS&E Operatives practice question: Excavations and confined spaces (4 of 7)
C. Safety A free question from our original HS&E Operatives practice exam. Try it, then open the answer to see why each option is right or wrong.
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Your gang is about to dig a trench near a road, where there may be buried electricity cables.
Put these steps in order, starting with the first.
Put these 4 steps in order.
- AA. Trace the cables with a locator and mark them
- BB. Dig trial holes by hand to confirm where they are
- CC. Dig the trench, using the locator again as you go
- DD. Get and check the plans of buried services
Show the answer and explanation
Correct order: D, A, B, C
- D. Get and check the plans of buried services First. Plans show roughly where services are, but they are only a guide.
- A. Trace the cables with a locator and mark them Second. Use a cable locator to find and mark the cables on the ground.
- B. Dig trial holes by hand to confirm where they are Third. Hand-dig carefully, with suitable tools, to expose the cables and confirm their position.
- C. Dig the trench, using the locator again as you go Last. Keep using the locator often during the work, as cables are not always where they seem.
Explanation
Before digging: check the plans, trace and mark cables with a locator, then confirm with hand-dug trial holes. Keep using the locator as you dig.
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