Excavation & Trench Safety (Competent Person)
Learn the OSHA requirements for serving as a competent person on excavation and trenching projects: protective system design, soil classification, daily inspections, and safe installation and removal procedures.
- Unlimited exam retakes
- Mobile access — train on any device
- Certificate of Completion available immediately online
- 4 downloadable employer handouts
- Group / business enrollment available
Prepare for the Competent Person Role
Every excavation needs a competent person conducting daily inspections, classifying soil, and keeping protective systems between workers and cave-ins. This course teaches the federal OSHA knowledge requirements for that role.
It covers 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P: when workers must be protected, how to select sloping, shoring, or shielding based on soil and depth, and what OSHA requires for inspecting, installing, and removing trench protection.
Cave-In Hazards and Protection Requirements
When OSHA requires protective systems, how cave-ins occur, and when workers may enter an excavation without them.
Selecting the Right Protective System
Sloping, shoring, and shielding — how soil classification and depth drive the choice, plus manufacturer's data and OSHA safe-slope requirements.
Inspecting Protective System Materials and Equipment
Pre-use checks, handling damaged systems, and following manufacturer guidelines to keep equipment safe and effective.
Installing and Removing Protective Systems Safely
Connecting components, coordinating excavation with installation, protecting workers during setup, and removing systems bottom-up.
Designed for Construction Workers in Excavation Roles
For individuals preparing to serve as competent persons on excavation and trenching projects, and the supervisors and safety personnel responsible for trench safety compliance.
Overseeing trenching operations and competent person duties.
Ensuring Subpart P compliance and competent person designation.
Utility installation and repair crews facing trench hazards regularly.
Pipeline installation and maintenance where a competent person is required.
Working near or in excavations around protective systems.
Running excavation safety programs and Subpart P compliance.
Knowledge Training for Excavation Competent Persons
OSHA requires daily inspections of excavations, adjacent areas, and protective systems by a competent person — before work starts, as needed throughout the shift, and after every rainstorm or other hazard-increasing occurrence. To serve in the role, a person must be trained and knowledgeable in soils analysis, the use of protective systems, and the requirements of the standard.
1926.650(b) — Competent Person
Capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards, with authority to take prompt corrective measures.
1926.651 — Specific Excavation Requirements
Daily inspections by a competent person before work, throughout the shift, and after every rainstorm or hazard-increasing occurrence.
1926.652 — Protective Systems
Sloping, shoring, and shielding requirements, including manufacturer's specifications and tabulated data.
Subpart P Appendix A — Soil Classification
Soil and rock classification principles used to select the appropriate protective system.
What This Course Provides vs. What Employers Must Still Do
Online training is not the complete requirement — serving as an OSHA-compliant competent person takes steps only the employer can fulfill.
What This Online Course Provides
- 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P competent person knowledge requirements
- Protective system types: sloping, shoring, and shielding
- Soil classification principles and protective system selection
- Daily inspection requirements for excavations and protective systems
- Safe installation and removal procedures for protective systems
- 4 downloadable employer handouts: Daily Excavation & Trench Inspection Log, Competent Person Designation & Authorization form, Protective System Material & Equipment Inspection Form, and Jobsite Document Control Checklist
- A Certificate of Completion
What the Employer Must Still Provide
- Formal designation of the individual as the competent person, with authority to take prompt corrective action
- Demonstration of field competency — identifying hazards in practical application, not just online knowledge
- Hands-on soil classification by visual analysis and testing
- Application of the knowledge to your site's actual conditions, equipment, and hazards
- Access to manufacturer's specifications, tabulated data, and approved protective system designs
- Ongoing verification that the competent person maintains the ability to identify hazards and act
Completing this course alone does not create the competent person designation: employer authorization, field competency, and site-specific application remain the employer's responsibility.
Trusted by the people doing the work.
“Straight to the point and relevant to the work. No fluff.”
Questions, answered.
Still unsure if this course is right for you or your team? Reach out to our team.
Reach OutPrepare for the Excavation Competent Person Role.
Every construction excavation requires an OSHA-designated competent person. Finish this 1 hr 15 min course at your own pace; your certificate is instant upon passing. Based on federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P — employers under a State Plan should verify additional state requirements.