Public Document
Health & Safety Policy
North West Trenching Ltd is committed to a workplace where no trench, bore or hydrovac dig is worth an injury. This policy sets out our obligations under the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation and Code, the COR audit elements our program is maintained against, and the Field Level Hazard Assessment procedure every crew follows before ground is broken.
Policy Statement
Our commitment
Signed by senior management and posted at every active work site.
Management accepts responsibility for providing a safe and healthy workplace, competent supervision, safe equipment and the training required for every worker to do their job without harm. Health and safety takes priority over production, schedule and cost.
Supervisors are accountable for enforcing this policy on their crews, correcting unsafe conditions, and completing hazard assessments and inspections as required. Workers are responsible for working safely, using required PPE, reporting hazards, incidents and near misses, and refusing work they believe is dangerous — with no reprisal of any kind.
This policy applies to every employee, subcontractor, supplier and visitor on an NWTL work site. It is reviewed at least annually and updated whenever legislation, equipment or scope of work changes.
Senior Management · North West Trenching Ltd
Legislation
Alberta OHS obligations
How the OHS Act, Regulation and Code apply to utility excavation work in Alberta.
Employer obligations
We comply with the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation and Code, including the general duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of workers, other employers' workers and the public affected by our work.
OHS Act s.3
Excavating & tunnelling
Every excavation deeper than 1.5 m that a worker enters is supported, cut back to a safe slope or protected by an engineered system, spoil and equipment are kept back 1 m from the edge, and a safe means of entry and exit is provided within 8 m of any worker.
OHS Code Part 32
Ground disturbance & locates
No ground disturbance begins without current locates, buried facility owner notification, hand exposure or hydrovac daylighting of located utilities and a competent person on site.
OHS Code Part 32 s.448–450
Worker rights & competency
Workers hold the right to refuse dangerous work with no reprisal, are trained and competent for assigned tasks, and are supervised by a competent person who understands the hazards.
OHS Act s.17–18
Hazard assessment & control
Formal hazard assessments are completed and reviewed for each site and repeated whenever conditions, scope or equipment change. Controls follow the hierarchy: elimination, engineering, administrative, then PPE.
OHS Code Part 2
Emergency response & reporting
Each site has a written emergency response plan, muster point, nearest medical facility and first aid coverage. Serious incidents are reported to Alberta OHS and WCB within legislated timelines and investigated to root cause.
OHS Act s.33 / OHS Code Part 7
COR
The eight audit elements
Our Certificate of Recognition is maintained against the Alberta COR audit protocol through ACSA. Each element below is documented, implemented in the field and audited.
Management leadership & commitment
Signed policy, defined accountabilities from owner to operator, and an annual management review of program performance.
Hazard identification & assessment
Formal hazard assessment inventory by task, plus site-specific and field level assessments before work starts.
Hazard control
Controls documented against each identified hazard, verified in the field and corrected through tracked corrective actions.
Ongoing inspections
Scheduled workplace, excavation and equipment inspections with deficiencies assigned, dated and closed out.
Qualifications, orientation & training
Training matrix per worker: Ground Disturbance 201, WHMIS, H2S Alive, first aid, confined space and equipment competency, with expiry tracking.
Emergency response
Site-specific emergency plans plus documented drills and after-action review.
Incident reporting & investigation
All incidents and near misses reported, investigated for root cause, and closed with preventive action.
Program administration
Records retained, statistics reported (TRIR / LTIF), subcontractors pre-qualified, and the program reviewed and updated annually.
Certificates, insurance, WCB clearance and current safety statistics are available on request as a single prequalification package — contact our office or see the live figures on our safety performance dashboard.
Field Procedure
FLHA — how every shift starts
A Field Level Hazard Assessment is completed on site, by the crew doing the work, before any ground disturbance.
Step 01
Before boots hit the ground
Foreman confirms locates are current and legible, reviews the site-specific hazard assessment, emergency plan and utility crossings, and confirms crew competency for the day's tasks.
Step 02
Walk the work area
The crew physically walks the area to identify hazards: overhead and buried utilities, traffic exposure, public access, soil type and water, confined space, adjacent structures, weather and wildlife.
Step 03
Rate and control each hazard
Every hazard is scored for severity and likelihood, then assigned a control. Trenching parameters — depth, soil class, protective system, slope, spoil setback, ladder placement and daylighting — are recorded explicitly.
Step 04
Sign-on by every worker
Each worker on site signs the FLHA, confirming they understand the hazards, controls, PPE requirement and their right to stop unsafe work. The competent person signs as the assessor.
Step 05
Re-assess on change
A new or amended FLHA is required whenever scope, depth, soil, weather, crew or equipment changes — and after any near miss or stop-work event.
Step 06
Foreman review & records
Signed assessments route to the foreman for review and sign-off, hazards and controls are locked to that job site once signed, and records are retained for audit, client prequalification and Avetta reporting.
FLHAs, toolbox talks, inspections and corrective actions are logged digitally by the crew in the field, reviewed by the foreman, and retained for audit and client reporting.
Need this policy for your prequalification?
We'll send our signed policy, COR certificate, WCB clearance letter and current safety statistics.