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Permit to dig template
A permit to dig near underground services, following HSE's HSG47. Record the permit number, the exact location, the work and who is in charge, then the service plans obtained, the cable avoidance tool (CAT) and signal generator scan with the CAT's serial and check date, and each service found with its depth, marking and trial hole. Confirm the precautions and that the dig team has seen the plans and marks, authorise the permit and close it out after backfilling. Every question is listed below, and you can fill the live form in on this page.
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What is a permit to dig?
A permit to dig is written authorisation from a responsible person for excavation in a set place, naming the work and the precautions. HSE's HSG47 sets out three elements of a safe system of work: planning the work, locating and identifying buried services (plans, detecting devices such as a cable avoidance tool and signal generator, and trial holes), and safe excavation, with careful hand digging near located services.
Last updated . Facts checked by the SiteSurvey team on 17 October 2026 against HSE HSG47 (third edition) full text: locating services, safe digging and backfilling, HSE HSG47: avoiding danger from underground services and HSE: excavations.
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Every question in the permit to dig template
A permit to dig following HSE HSG47: service plans, CAT and signal generator scan, services found and marked, trial holes, safe digging precautions, authorisation, and close-out with backfill. 4 sections and 42 questions. Follow-up questions and guidance appear only when an answer calls for them, so the person on site never sees the ones that do not apply.
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Add this form to a project in SiteSurvey and it fills in what the project already knows, so nobody on site retypes it and every form on the job uses the same names. Anything filled in can still be changed.
- Project: the project name
- Client: the project's customer
- Site: the site, when the form is opened for a space or a product
- Site address: the site address, from the space or the project
Permit
- ProjectShort answerFills in from the project name
- ClientShort answerFills in from the project's customer
- Site*Short answerFills in from the site, when the form is opened for a space or a product
- Site addressShort answerFills in from the site address, from the space or the project
- Date issued*Date
- TimeTime
- Permit number*Short answer
- Exact location of the excavation*Short answer
- Excavation outline (GPS)Short answer
Optional. Walk the edge of the dig and tap Mark current location at each corner.
- Work to be done, depth and method*Notes
- Excavation length (m)Number
Measuring from a photo gives an estimate. Use a tape or laser where the figure matters.
- Width (m)Number
- Planned depth (m)Number
- Valid untilDate
- Issued to (person in charge of the dig)*Short answer
- CheckThe valid until date is before the date issued. Check the dates.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
- GuidanceHSE HSG47 sets out a safe system of work: plan the work, locate and identify buried services, and dig safely. A permit gives written authorisation from a responsible person for the work and the precautions.
Plans and locating
- Service plans obtainedTick all that apply
- Electricity
- Gas
- Water
- Telecoms
- Sewer or drainage
- Street lighting
- Fuel or oil
- Other
- No plans available
- WarningNo plans. Treat the area as if services are present and locate before digging.Shown when “Service plans obtained” includes “none”
- Was the area scanned with a cable avoidance tool (CAT)?Yes or No
- Was a signal generator used?Yes or No
- Scan the CAT serial plateScan a label: serial number
Optional. Scan the label or tag to capture its numbers.
- CAT calibration or check dateDate
- Scanned by (trained operator)Short answer
- Services foundRepeat for each service. Each one asks:
- Service*Choose one
- Electricity
- Gas
- Water
- Telecoms
- Sewer or drainage
- Street lighting
- Fuel or oil
- Other
- Indicated depth (mm)Number
- Service position (GPS)Short answer
Optional. Tap Mark current location on site to save the GPS position.
- Marked on the surface?Yes or No
- Exposed by trial hole?Yes or No
- Photos of the marks or trial holePhotos
- Services foundWorked out by the form
- Marked on the surfaceWorked out by the form
- Exposed by trial holeWorked out by the form
- Photos of the area marked upPhotos
Precautions
- Precautions in place*Tick all that apply
- Hand dig near located services
- Dig alongside services, not on top
- Breaking a hard surface: hand-held power tools kept 500 mm or more from the line of a service
- No mechanical excavator within 500 mm of a gas pipe
- Rescan as the dig gets deeper
- Emergency contacts for the service owners on site
- CheckHSG47: when breaking up a hard surface, where practicable only use hand-held power tools 500 mm or more from the indicated line of a service, then locate it by careful hand digging. Do not use mechanical excavators within 500 mm of a gas pipe.
- WarningHSG47: if a service is damaged, tell the owner or operator. For electricity cables, gas pipes, other pipelines and high-pressure water mains, keep people well clear until the owner has repaired it or made it safe. If gas is leaking, do not try to repair it: evacuate the area and call the National Gas Emergency number, 0800 111 999.
- Has the dig team been given the plans and shown the marked services?Yes or No
- Authorised by*Short answer
- Authorised signatureSignature
- Signature of the person in charge of the digSignature
Close-out
- Has the excavation been backfilled so services are supported and protected?Yes or No
- CheckHSG47: concrete must not be used to encase services when backfilling.Shown when “Has the excavation been backfilled so services are supported and protected?” is Yes
- Was any service damaged?Yes or No
- What happened and who was toldNotesShown when “Was any service damaged?” is Yes
- Permit closedDate
- Closed byShort answer
- SignatureSignature
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A completed permit to dig report, made by SiteSurvey from a fictional site visit: every answer, the photos, the guidance that applied and the sign-off, ready to send as a PDF.
Permit to dig FAQs
How close can power tools and excavators go?
HSG47 says that when breaking up a hard surface, where practicable, hand-held power tools should only be used 500 mm or more from the indicated line of a service, which is then located by careful hand digging. Mechanical excavators should not be used within 500 mm of a gas pipe.
What if there are no plans?
HSG47 says to assume underground services are present unless you have been shown otherwise, and HSE says excavation should not start until the risk from underground services has been identified and dealt with. So locate them before digging. The form shows a warning when no plans are available.
Who should use the CAT?
HSG47 says anyone using a locator should have had thorough training in its use and limitations, and that detecting devices should be checked and calibrated regularly. The form records who scanned and the CAT's check date.
What about backfilling?
HSG47 says backfilling must properly support and protect the services, and concrete must not be used to encase services when backfilling.
What if a service is hit?
HSG47 says tell the owner or operator, and for electricity cables, gas pipes, other pipelines and high-pressure water mains keep people well clear until the owner has repaired it or made it safe. If gas is leaking, do not try to repair it: evacuate and call the National Gas Emergency number, 0800 111 999. The form records any damage at close-out.
Who uses this?
Groundworkers, civil engineering and utility contractors, main contractors, landscapers and facilities teams.
Related
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An underground utility survey record to PAS 128: survey type and quality level, records searched, site reconnaissance, detection methods, each utility found with depth, confidence and verification, and limitations.
An excavation inspection record with scope, shift or event trigger, ground and support observations, hazards, actions and competent inspector details.
Permit for hot work, work at height, confined space entry and other high risk jobs: precautions, isolations, authorisation, hand-back and close-out.
An excavator pre-use record covering machine identity, attachment security, visibility, visible leaks, authorised function checks and defect restrictions.
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