Safety checklist — Drainage / Sewers
Installation of drains, pipes and manholes. Based on Québec's Construction Safety Code (CSTC) and CNESST standards.
Before work
12 items- ✓
PPE worn: hard hat, waterproof steel-toed boots, gloves, hi-vis vest
- ✓
Underground pipes located before digging (CSTC 3.15.1)Critical
ℹ️ CSTC 3.15.1 requires locating services. Info-Excavation: 1-800-663-9228 (usual method, not named in the Code).
- ✓
Trench plan reviewed — depth, slope and shoring defined
- ✓
Shoring to engineer plans from 1.2 m, unless a 3.15.3 exception appliesCritical
ℹ️ From 1.2 m it is a trench or excavation (CSTC art. 1) and 3.15.3 requires shoring. Sloping is an exception only if the slope is < 45° from less than 1.2 m of the bottom and there is no landslide danger.
- ✓
Dewatering pump available if high water table
- ✓
Backfill materials (crushed stone, geotextile) available on site
- ✓
No worker in trench without cave-in protection
- ✓
Access ladder every 15 m, following the work (CSTC 3.15.4)
- ✓
Pipe slopes and grades checked regularly
- ✓
Joints tested watertight before backfilling
- ✓
Materials stored more than 1.2 m from the top (CSTC 3.15.3 (5) a)
- ✓
No vehicle or machine within 3 m of the top, unless reinforced shoring (CSTC 3.15.3 (5) b)
After work
4 items- ✓
Pipes tested (pressure or video) before closing trench
- ✓
Backfill compacted in lifts per specifications
- ✓
Surface leveled — temporary signage if unpaved
- ✓
As-built plan updated with actual alignment
16 verification items — use this checklist on-site with the app
Use on-site — freePDF reports, history and team management in the app
For information only — this is not legal advice. OK Sécurité is an independent company with no affiliation to the CNESST: we are not mandated, endorsed or certified by it. Completing a checklist here does not by itself establish your compliance — your exact obligations depend on your job site and your prevention program. Where there is any discrepancy, the official text published by Légis Québec or the CNESST prevails.
More checklists — Heavy Work
More safety checklists
Risks and prevention — Drainage and sewers
Drain and sewer installation involves trench work, exposing workers to cave-in risks, gas accumulation (methane, H₂S), and drowning from rapid water infiltration. CSTC 3.15.3 requires shoring from 1.2 m unless an exception in that article applies.
Manholes and underground connections may be confined spaces under CSTC 1.1 (17.1) and subsection 3.21. Gas detection and the written 3.21.1 identification come before entry. The RSST permit model is not the construction-site text.
Handling heavy pipes (concrete, cast iron) requires safe lifting techniques and proper equipment. Workers must be trained on biological hazards from contact with wastewater.
Scan to access OK Sécurité
Open the app directly on your phone to complete your safety checklists on-site.
ok-securite.com