Excavation — learn the risk, then check the work.
Trench collapse and striking a buried service are two of the fastest ways an excavation job turns fatal. VIRSAT trains workers to recognize an unsafe dig before it starts, and gives supervisors a way to verify the checks were actually done.
Excavation training covers recognizing trench collapse risk and buried-service strike risk before digging starts. HeadSafe then verifies permit-to-dig conditions in the field, hands-free, so the checks that prevent a collapse or a struck utility line happen every time, not just on paper.
Why this topic
Excavation sits alongside the IOGP Life-Saving Rules as one of the fatal-risk categories VIRSAT's training covers — the same underlying hazard types (line of fire, uncontrolled energy in the form of buried services) that the core Life-Saving Rules address, applied to ground-disturbance work specifically.
Learn it once. Check it every time.
Excavation gets the full two-phase treatment — a training module that builds recognition and judgment, and a HeadSafe check that verifies the entry procedure in the field.
Covered in the basic workplace HSE training
Excavation isn't taught as a standalone course — a dig site often overlaps with work around mobile equipment or near buried energy sources. So VIRSAT's basic training covers all nine core fatal-risk topics together, with excavation as part of the same broader hazard awareness.
- —Awareness level: a fast, gamified format for broad workforce reach
- —Professional level: a full virtual reality operational environment
- —Builds hazard recognition and intervention skill, not quiz recall
- —Audio-led — no reading required, runs in any supported language
Excavation — HeadSafe verification
A hands-free AR checklist for permit-to-dig conditions, built on an industry standard start-work checklist — used by whoever is preparing the permit, starting the work, or auditing it in the field.
- —Same hazard categories as the training, with field-level granularity
- —Voice-controlled — no gloves off, no paperwork
- —Results log automatically against the permit record
Explanatory animations
Contextual help
AI assistant on your manuals
Live expert support
The real Start-Work Check, item by item.
This is the actual checklist HeadSafe walks a worker or Start-Work Verifier through before excavation begins — confirmed hands-free, with a signature captured at the end.
The excavation has been evaluated for energy isolation requirements — if isolation is needed, that check is completed first.
▸Underground utilities are visibly marked (pipelines, cables, communications, power).
▸Excavation equipment maintains minimum clearances from overhead obstructions.
▸The excavation area is secured, with barriers in place to prevent unauthorized access.
▸Soil stability has been assessed, with controls in place per the excavation plan.
▸Equipment stability and the potential for unplanned movement have been assessed.
▸The excavation has been evaluated to determine if it counts as a confined space — if yes, the Confined Space Entry check is completed too.
▸A plan is in place to protect personnel entering the excavation from cave-in, hazardous atmosphere, and water accumulation.
▸Excavations deeper than 4 ft (1.2 m) have safe access and egress in place.
▸Excavation is the one Start-Work Check that routes into two others depending on conditions — Energy Isolation at the start, and Confined Space Entry once personnel are entering a deep or enclosed trench. HeadSafe carries that logic through automatically rather than leaving it to the worker to remember.
Classroom or e-learning vs. VIRSAT's VR module
The gap is largest on procedures with a strict, ordered sequence — exactly what this topic is.
| Question a buyer asks | Classroom / e-learning | VIRSAT VR module |
|---|---|---|
| Does the worker perform the dig sequence, or just watch it? | Watches | Performs |
| Are sequence errors caught during training? | Rarely | Every time |
| Does it link to real-world field verification? | No | Yes — Excavation |
| Can it run without a VR headset? | N/A | Yes — PC/desktop available |
What this is — and isn't
Does this replace hands-on physical training for this topic?
No. VIRSAT trains hazard recognition, pre-work checking, and intervention — it doesn't simulate hands-on physical tasks or rescue drills. If your program requires physical, hands-on training, this sits alongside it, not instead of it.
Do we need the training and HeadSafe, or can we buy just one?
Either. Most customers run both as a single package, but the training module and the HeadSafe check for this topic are also available separately if that's all you need.
We don't formally use the IOGP Life-Saving Rules — does this still apply?
Yes. The same content is available framed as general workplace HSE training rather than under the Life-Saving Rules name, for organizations that haven't adopted that framework.
What hardware does HeadSafe run on?
Primarily the RealWear Arc 3 — explosion-proof and IP54-rated, built for hazardous-area work. Specifications for other headset brands are available on request.