Published November 2024

How we get to and from a work location, and how we move around within it should not be overlooked when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of those working within the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industry.

Access, egress risks as most commonly contributed to slips, trips and falls, Slips, trips, which have a direct link to poor housekeeping and represents the most common cause of accidents in the workplace, and falls, including those from working at height still represents the highest cause of significant injuries at work.

Consider also undulating ground, covered with thick vegetation, hiding any number of obstructions and other hazards, where just moving around a site can have a high risk of injury associated with it.

When introducing vehicles and plant into the mix, both travelling to a project and moving around within its boundary, the low average severity of the slip, trip and fall injuries is increased to potential high severity outcomes, increasing again the importance of access, egress, and work area planning.

This guidance will look at the general considerations for access, egress and working areas, providing, where possible best practice, workable solutions considerations to reduce risk.