Excavation Compliance · Online Training
OSHA Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Training
Two online courses covering every role on an excavation job site: Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Safety Training for the crew working in and around trenches, and Competent Person training for the individual responsible for daily inspections, protective systems, and program oversight. Aligned with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P.
Course Snapshot
Certifications & Accreditations
Who Stands Behind This Training
Excavation, trenching, and shoring training on this site is provided through HAZWOPER OSHA Training, LLC. For current training-provider credentials, accreditations, continuing-education details, and compliance-related approvals, review HAZWOPER OSHA Training's official accreditation profiles below.
Overview
Why Excavation & Trenching Training Matters
Cave-ins remain one of the deadliest hazards in construction, and unlike most incidents they can happen in seconds with almost no warning. A single cubic yard of soil can weigh over a ton, and workers rarely survive a full collapse. Proper training for both the crew and the site's Competent Person is what keeps a trench job from becoming a fatality statistic.
Every Role, Covered Separately
A crew-level safety course and a dedicated Competent Person track, so each role gets the depth it actually needs.
Reduce Cave-Ins & Violations
Understand soil classification, protective systems, and daily inspection duties so your crew and your paperwork hold up if OSHA ever shows up.
Train on Any Schedule
Self-paced, mobile-friendly lessons your staff can complete between shifts, on any device.
English & Spanish
Course content is available in both languages, suited to mixed-language crews and project teams.
Instant Certification
A certificate of completion is issued immediately after each course, ready for your compliance files.
Built for Real Jobsites
Scenarios drawn from utility trenches, pipeline work, and foundation excavations, not generic classroom theory.
Courses
Choose the Right Course for Your Role
Both courses are self-paced and aligned with OSHA's excavation standard. Many crews enroll their whole team in Safety Training and their designated Competent Person in the advanced course. Not sure which one you need? Use our course-picker guide →
Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Safety Training
Ideal training for workers involved in excavation and trenching operations at construction sites, covering hazard recognition and safe work practices around open trenches.
- 3 HoursDuration
- EN & ESLanguages
- On-DemandFormat
- Recognize cave-in, atmospheric, and utility strike hazards
- Understand soil classification and protective system basics
- Identify safe access, egress, and spoil pile placement
- Know when to stop work and notify the Competent Person
Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Training
Advanced training under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P for the person responsible for a site's daily inspections, protective system selection, and overall excavation program, including large-scale and federally funded projects.
- 8 HoursDuration
- EN & ESLanguages
- On-DemandFormat
- Classify soil and select sloping, benching, or shoring systems
- Conduct required daily excavation inspections
- Evaluate protective system design and installation
- Build a written excavation safety program & emergency plan
A note on the Competent Person title: OSHA defines a competent person as someone capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and authorized to take prompt corrective measures. Training supports this role, but the employer must designate the competent person and ensure they have the knowledge, authority, and site-specific understanding needed for the excavation work being performed. Completing this course is a foundational step, not an automatic designation.
| Compare | Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Safety | Competent Person |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Hazard awareness & safe work practices for the crew | Program oversight, inspections & protective system selection |
| Best for | Excavation crews, equipment operators, laborers, utility & municipal staff | Safety managers, foremen, EHS coordinators, program owners |
| Duration | 3 Hours | 8 Hours |
| Price | $59.99 / seat | $159.99 / seat |
| Certificate validity | 36 months | 24 months |
Not Sure Which One?
Which Course Do I Need?
What best describes your role on an excavation site?
Recommended: Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Safety Training
You work in, near, or around excavations and trenches. This 3-hour course covers hazard recognition, soil and protective system basics, and safe access/egress - the awareness you need to work safely and know when to notify the Competent Person.
Course Details Enroll - $59.99Recommended: Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Training
You inspect, classify soil, select protective systems, or supervise excavation work. This 8-hour course covers everything OSHA expects a Competent Person to know - but remember, your employer must formally designate you before you hold that authority on site.
Course Details Enroll - $159.99Recommended: Both Courses, by Role
Enroll your crew, operators, and utility/municipal staff in Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Safety Training, and enroll your designated Competent Person(s) - foremen, safety managers, EHS coordinators - in Competent Person Training. Most excavation programs need both.
See Both Courses & PricingRecommended: Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Training
Daily inspection duties fall to the Competent Person role. This 8-hour course covers required inspection timing, documentation, and how to respond when conditions change.
Course Details Enroll - $159.99Recommended: Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Training
Soil classification is a Competent Person responsibility under OSHA Appendix A. This course covers visual and manual test methods for Stable Rock, Type A, Type B, and Type C soils. See also our Soil Classification page.
Course Details Enroll - $159.99Recommended: Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Training
Selecting and evaluating sloping, benching, shielding, and shoring systems is a Competent Person duty. See also our Protective Systems page for how tabulated data and engineering requirements fit in.
Course Details Enroll - $159.99Curriculum
What Each Course Covers
Focused, practical modules broken out by role.
Safety Training
Crew-Level Hazard Awareness
-
01
Understanding Excavation Hazards
Cave-ins, engulfment, falls, water accumulation, and hazardous atmospheres common to open trenches.
-
02
OSHA Subpart P Overview
The structure of the excavation standard and where crew-level duties come from.
-
03
Soil & Protective Systems Basics
How soil type drives the choice between sloping, benching, shielding, and shoring.
-
04
Safe Access, Egress & Spoil Placement
Ladder and ramp requirements, spoil pile setback, and safe distances from the edge.
-
05
Utility Location & Emergency Awareness
Call-before-you-dig practices, underground utility hazards, and when to stop work and notify the Competent Person.
Competent Person
Program Oversight Track
-
01
Defining the Competent Person Role
Authority and legal responsibility under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P.
-
02
Soil Classification
Classifying Stable Rock, Type A, Type B, and Type C soils using visual and manual analysis tests.
-
03
Selecting Protective Systems
Choosing and sizing sloping, benching, shielding, and shoring systems for site conditions.
-
04
Daily Inspection Duties
Required inspections before each shift, after rainfall, and whenever conditions change.
-
05
Program Development & Emergency Planning
Building a written excavation safety program and rescue plan that holds up under inspection.
Who It's For
Built for Everyone Who Works Around Excavations
Employer Responsibilities
Training Is Part of Compliance - Not All of It
Online training can support OSHA compliance, but employers are responsible for ensuring employees are trained for the actual hazards, soil conditions, protective systems, equipment, access and egress points, utility hazards, traffic exposure, water conditions, and emergency procedures they will encounter. Excavation safety often requires site-specific instruction, daily inspections, documented hazard assessments, and employer authorization.
Enroll
Get Your Team Trained Today
Reserve seats in either course, and our team will follow up to complete enrollment.
Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Safety Training
- 3 hours of self-paced online training
- Available in English and Spanish
- Mobile-optimized, accessible 24/7
- Certificate of completion issued immediately
- Certificate valid 36 months
- Aligned with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P
This reserves seats in the On-Demand Online course. Need SCORM, Virtual Instructor-Led, or In-Person Group training instead? See other formats on HAZWOPER-OSHA.com →
Seat count received.
You'll be taken to secure payment to complete your enrollment.
Competent Person for Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Training
- 8 hours of self-paced online training
- Available in English and Spanish
- Mobile-optimized, accessible 24/7
- Certificate of completion issued immediately
- Certificate valid 24 months
- Aligned with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P
This reserves seats in the On-Demand Online course. Need SCORM, Virtual Instructor-Led, or In-Person Group training instead? See other formats on HAZWOPER-OSHA.com →
Seat count received.
You'll be taken to secure payment to complete your enrollment.
Questions about who stands behind this training? See Certifications & Accreditations above, or read our Credential Transparency page.
FAQ
Common Questions
It depends on your role. Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Safety Training is for anyone working in or around an excavation, including operators and laborers. Competent Person training is for the individual responsible for classifying soil, selecting protective systems, running daily inspections, and owning the site's overall excavation program. Use our course-picker guide for a role-by-role breakdown.
No. OSHA does not certify, approve, or endorse individual training providers or courses. This training is OSHA-aligned, meaning it's built around OSHA's excavation standard, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P. See our Credential Transparency page for the full explanation.
Excavation, Trenching & Shoring Safety Training runs about 3 hours, and Competent Person training runs about 8 hours. Both are self-paced.
Yes. Both courses are available in English and Spanish.
Yes, a certificate of completion is issued immediately after finishing either course, ready to keep in your compliance files. Safety Training certificates are valid 36 months and Competent Person certificates are valid 24 months before a refresher is recommended.
Yes. OSHA requires a designated Competent Person to inspect excavations daily, before each shift, and after any event that could increase hazards, such as rainfall. Training supports this role, but the employer must designate the Competent Person. It's common for the same person to hold both certifications, taking Safety Training first and Competent Person training as they take on more responsibility.
Keep Your Crew Compliant. Train Every Role.
Two courses, online. Certificate on completion. English & Spanish.