Kit TR-01 · Coming May
Trenching and Excavation Stand-Down Kit
Protective systems, the competent person, a way out, and spoils. Ready before the Trench Safety Stand Down in June.
Why it matters
A cubic yard of soil weighs about as much as a car, and a trench collapse gives no warning. Most trench deaths happen in trenches that had no protective system.
What it covers
- Five feet. Trenches 5 feet deep or more need a protective system (sloping, shoring, or a trench box) unless they’re entirely in stable rock. Deeper than 20 feet, a registered engineer designs it.
- The competent person. Inspects the excavation daily before work starts and after rain or anything that changes conditions.
- A way out. In trenches 4 feet deep or more, a ladder, ramp, or stairway within 25 feet of every worker.
- Spoils and equipment. Keep spoil piles and material at least 2 feet back from the edge.
- Utilities. Locates called in and marked before digging.
- Water and air. No work in accumulating water without controls; test the air where it may be hazardous.
Hands-on activity
Trench walk with the competent person: look at the soil classification, the protective system, the ladder spacing, and the spoil pile distance, and have the crew measure each one.
Download
Coming May
This kit isn't out yet. Newsletter subscribers hear the day it's ready, along with campaign reminders weeks ahead.
What’s in the kit
- Run sheet for 15, 30, or 60 minutes
- Word-for-word supervisor script
- Toolbox talk with a jobsite story
- Hands-on activity
- Poster, letter and 11×17
- Pocket cards
- Quiz and answer key
- Sign-in sheet, certificate, and follow-up form
English and Spanish, free with a free account.
Running a stand-down on this before it’s out?
We’ll build a custom kit for your site in 48 hours.
Independent resource, not affiliated with or endorsed by OSHA. Kits supplement, not replace, your company’s safety program and competent person.