{"id":21960,"date":"2016-11-03T08:42:40","date_gmt":"2016-11-03T15:42:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/?page_id=21960"},"modified":"2025-07-07T11:24:43","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T18:24:43","slug":"sppm-3-46","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/index\/manuals\/safety-policies-procedures-manual\/sppm-3-46\/","title":{"rendered":"3.46 Trench and Excavation Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Safety Policies and Procedures Manual<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Trench and Excavation Safety<\/h2>\n\n\n
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SPPM 3.46<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information contact:<\/strong>
   Environmental Health and Safety
   509-335-3041<\/p>\n

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Overview<\/h3>\n

University units engaged in trench and excavation projects done by University employees are to protect employees, students, and the public from cave-ins and falling into trenches and excavations.<\/p>\n

Employees and students working in trenches and excavations four feet or greater in depth must be protected from cave-ins by a protective system. See the second bullet point under Responsibilities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> Trenches and excavations that are less than four feet in depth do not require employee protective systems unless indications of possible cave-in are present.<\/p>\n

Responsibility<\/h4>\n

Supervisors and faculty are to comply with this policy and protect employees and students from hazards associated with trenches.<\/p>\n

Employees and students are to comply with this policy and trench and excavation safety training information provided by University officials.<\/p>\n

General Requirements<\/h3>\n

Training<\/h4>\n

All supervisors, employees, and students working in or around trenches and excavations done by University employees are to be trained in trench and excavation safety procedures.<\/p>\n

Contact EH&S to schedule trench and excavation safety training sessions.<\/p>\n

Competent Person<\/h4>\n

Each trench and excavation project done by University employees requires a “competent” person to evaluate the project site for potential hazards. A competent person is someone who:<\/p>\n