Shoring
Shoring is temporary support that stops soil, an excavation face, or a structure collapsing during excavation or demolition; trenches over 1.5 m make it HRCW.
Ask Chalkline about this →Shoring is temporary support installed to stop soil, an excavation face, or part of a structure from collapsing during excavation, demolition, or partial works. It holds the ground or structure up while the permanent works are built or removed, and it is temporary by definition: it comes out once the permanent support is in place. Shoring is part of the engineer’s temporary works design, not something the operator improvises on the day.
On excavations, shoring is one of three ways to prevent ground collapse, alongside benching and battering the sides back to a safe angle. It matters most in deep or unstable trenches: any trench deeper than 1.5 m is high-risk construction work (HRCW) under reg 291 of the model WHS Regulations, so a SWMS is legally required and the collapse-prevention method (shore, bench, or batter) must be specified before digging. Trench collapse is fast and frequently fatal, which is why the engineer designs the support and an exclusion zone keeps people clear of the edge.
On demolition, selective or partial removal that leaves part of a structure standing usually needs shoring or propping designed by the structural engineer; the demolition contractor builds to that temporary works design rather than judging it on site. See excavator contractor for the earthworks side.
Also known as: Shoring system, temporary support, ground support.
Category: WHS / Excavation and temporary works.
Related
See also
References
- Safe Work Australia: Model Code of Practice, Excavation work (verified 2026-05-08)
- Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011, reg 291 (verified 2026-05-08)
Last updated: 2026-05-30. Verified: 2026-05-08. Quarterly review for currency.