OSHA Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring Training
- In accordance with Federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, this course meets the training requirements for employer designation as a Competent Person
- Available in:
English | 
Español - Interactive modules with real-world excavation scenarios
- Self-paced, mobile-friendly, 24/7 access—with an official completion certificate emailed immediately after you finish
- SCORM, on-demand e-learning, virtual, or in-person classroom training formats available
0.8
Bulk Buying
| Employee | Per Seat |
|---|---|
| 2-10 | $158.39 |
| 11-20 | $156.79 |
| 21-50 | $155.19 |
| 51-100 | $151.99 |
| 101-250 | $148.79 |
As someone moving into a leadership role, this course gave me the in-depth understanding I needed to take on competent person responsibilities. I appreciated that it’s not a quick overview, but rather an in-depth learning.
I especially found the section on emergency planning useful. This course was worth every dollar!
This excavation course really is great. Straightforward language, practical examples, and I was able to apply learnings on-site the next day.
We used this as baseline training for new site leads. The content is detailed and delivered in a way that's easy to remember and can be applied immediately.
Course Facts
Training Duration
Learning Type
Course Access Validity
Device Support
Certificate Validity
The OSHA Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring training course fulfills the obligations in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P and the OSHA Competent Person regulations. The course fully prepares participants with the authority and responsibility granted to them to assess and manage risks for any safety and health hazards for trenching and excavation work.
OSHA mandates the appointment of a Competent Person to supervise activities at excavation sites as a safety measure. Key issues such as soil types and classifications, protective and safety systems, hazards and safety challenges, safety and health inspections, and emergency response plans are essential responsibilities that a Competent Person must perform on excavation sites. These roles make the Competent Person a crucial player in workplace safety.
Both trenching and excavation, which are essential activities in a construction project, are characterized by high danger. According to OSHA, a single cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car, and trench collapses cause dozens of worker fatalities each year. Sadly, a rise in such incidents has been noted in the last few years. An example from the year 2022 took place in the state of Texas. Two people tragically lost their lives due to a trench collapse while working on a residential construction project. This incident, with all its devastation, cost the construction company $250,000 in fines as OSHA denounced the employer for “not providing a Competent Person for the job and appropriate trench protective measures.”
This is why we offer this course as an essential training, as it supports the prevention of such tragedies by empowering construction site personnel to become OSHA competent persons with the authority and knowledge to stop unsafe conditions before they lead to disaster.
Why Choose this Excavation Competent Person Training?
Our OSHA Competent Person Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring training:
- Meets OSHA safety standards so learners can take on the role of a competent person on the job site.
- Gives learners the confidence and authority to spot dangers and stop unsafe work before someone gets hurt.
- Helps prevent accidents and fines by teaching learners how to keep trenches safe and up to code.
- Provides real-life examples that make it easy to apply what you learn on the job.
- Makes the workplace safer while boosting an individual’s skills and credibility as a leader.
What You Will Learn
With our OSHA Competent Person for Excavation training course, you will learn the following.
- How to identify excavation and trenching hazards to take corrective action;
- OSHA requirements for protective systems, including sloping, shoring, and shielding;
- How to perform soil classification using manual and visual testing methods;
- Responsibilities of a competent person, including inspection, documentation, and emergency planning;
- Procedures for working safely near underground utilities and other site-specific hazards; and
- Steps for conducting daily inspections and responding to changing site conditions.
Who Should Enroll?
Anyone designated as a Competent Person for excavation activities, as well as professionals with safety oversight obligations, must hold this certification in Competent Person Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring.
- Contractors and subcontractors working on public and private sector construction projects that entail excavation, trenching, utility installation, shoring, or site preparation.
- Crew leads, foremen, and site supervisors who are directly in charge of daily trench inspections and worker safety.
- Safety officers and compliance staff who are responsible for assessing the risks associated with excavation and enforcing OSHA regulations on the ground.
- Construction engineers and project managers who supervise excavation activities and guarantee the proper installation of protection systems.
- Employees of local, state, and federal agencies who conduct audits, inspections, or surveillance of excavation operations on regulated construction sites.
- Utility and infrastructure maintenance teams that frequently perform ground disturbance work, particularly around live electrical, gas, or sewer lines. However, they may also require additional training in electrical and arc flash training under OSHA standards and NFPA 70E guidelines.
Working in and around excavations and trenches is inherently dangerous. Hazards include cave-ins, falling loads, electrocutions, explosions, falls, and hazardous atmospheres, among many others. As part of a safety and health program, OSHA requires employers to emphasize specific practices that will help reduce the risk of on-the-job injuries and illnesses at excavation sites.
Course Objectives
- Define and differentiate between an “excavation” and a “trench”.
- Recognize common hazards associated with excavation and trenching work.
- Explain the responsibilities and qualifications of a Competent Person in excavation operations.
- Identify and apply general safe work practices for excavation and trenching.
- Describe the requirements for locating and working near underground utilities.
- Identify appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for excavation and trenching activities.
- Classify soil types A, B, and C and explain methods of soil classification.
- Explain OSHA’s unconfined compressive strength measurement and its significance in determining soil stability.
- Recognize and mitigate confined space hazards in trenching operations.
- Describe hazard controls and safety precautions necessary to prevent injuries and incidents.
- Outline procedures for rescue and emergency response in confined space scenarios.
- Understand OSHA regulations related to protective systems and identify when exceptions may apply.
- Distinguish between types of protective systems used in excavations - sloping, shoring, shielding.
- Identify types of fall protection systems required for excavation and trenching activities.
- Develop a rescue plan for fall prevention incidents at trenching sites.
- Formulate an emergency planning and response strategy in the event of cave-ins, utility strikes, or other incidents.
- Understand the dynamics of cave-ins, and how to prevent them through appropriate controls and systems.
Excavation Competent Person Training Course Syllabus
This OSHA Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching and Shoring course consists of five modules and 15 lessons. Students are required to take each lesson in sequential order as listed below.
Introduction
Module 1: Foundation of Excavation and Trenching
Essential groundwork is vital for understanding safety during excavation and trenching. Learners will be introduced to the basics of excavation and trenching, and the common hazards that make these activities among the most dangerous in construction. Participants will have a strong foundation to build upon in later lessons.
- Lesson 1: Introduction to Excavation and Trenching
- Lesson 2: Understanding Excavation and Trenching Hazards
- Lesson 3: Role of Competent Persons in Excavations
Module 2: Safe Work Practices and Job Site Preparation
Proactive steps are needed to create and maintain a safe excavation and trenching worksite. Learners will explore proven safe work practices, the critical requirements for identifying and working around underground utilities, and the proper selection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Together, these lessons highlight how preparation and precaution directly prevent accidents and ensure compliance with safety standards.
- Lesson 4: Safe Work Practices
- Lesson 5: Requirements for Locating and Working Near Underground Utilities
- Lesson 6: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Excavation and Trenching
Module 3: Soil Analysis and Hazard Recognition
Learners will address how to identify and control the hidden dangers present in excavation and trenching work. The lessons will focus on understanding soil classification and its impact on excavation safety, recognizing the unique hazards associated with confined spaces when working in narrow trenches, and reviewing the control measures and precautions necessary to protect workers in these environments.
- Lesson 7: Soil Classification
- Lesson 8: Confined Space Hazards
- Lesson 9: Hazard Controls and Safety Precautions in Confined Spaces
Module 4: Emergency Response and Rescue Planning
This module provides details on the importance of preparation and quick action in the event of an excavation or trenching emergency. With these lessons, participants will be equipped to act decisively and safely when emergencies arise, minimizing risks to workers and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Lesson 10: Rescue and Emergency Procedures in Confined Spaces
- Lesson 11: Rescue Plan for Fall Prevention
- Lesson 12: Emergency Planning and Response
Module 5: Protective and Fall Prevention Systems
Systems and safeguards are designed to protect workers from the most severe risks in excavation and trenching work on a construction site. Learners will have the knowledge to select, implement, and maintain protective measures that keep workers safe and projects compliant, following the completion of this module.
- Lesson 13: Protective Systems
- Lesson 14: Requirements for Protective Systems
- Lesson 15: Types of Fall Protection Systems for Excavations and Trench Work
Final Examination
Frequently Asked Questions
All our courses are designed to take a specific amount of time. However, some students may complete this online training course much faster than others. It will take around 8 hours to complete.
According to OSHA, a competent person is an individual designated by the employer who can identify existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to workers and who is authorized to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Under the Excavation standards, tasks performed by the competent person include:
- Classifying soil;
- Inspecting protective systems;
- Designing structural ramps;
- Monitoring water removal equipment; and
- Conducting site inspections.
The OSHA Competent Person Training for excavation, trenching, and shoring is important because excavation work is one of the most hazardous in construction, and is often overlooked. This training gives participants the practical knowledge to spot risks such as cave-ins, underground utilities, or unstable soil before they become serious incidents.
More importantly, it prepares you to take charge on-site. As a Competent Person, you're not just checking boxes, you have the authority and responsibility to make real-time decisions that protect your crew. This course helps build the confidence and skills to do that effectively.
There are no prerequisites to this course.
Anyone involved in excavation and trenching operations who may be responsible for job site safety will find this course useful. That includes site supervisors, foremen, crew leaders, safety officers, and construction managers, especially those designated or expected to be designated as the Competent Person under OSHA regulations.
Certificate of Completion: Immediately after passing the final exam, you can download, save, or print your certificate in PDF format.
Validity: The course certificate is valid for two years.
Renewal: Simply take this course in 24 months to maintain compliance and stay current on excavation and trenching best practices at construction sites.
Frequently Purchased Together:
Total price:
$174.98
Choose Your Ideal Training Format:
Scorm Package
Virtual Instructor-Led
$449.00/Seat
In-Person Group
$849.00/Seat
The ROI of Online Safety Training
Discover the value of our efficient alternative to live training, and calculate your return on investment.
Recommended Courses
