Trench Box and Shield Inspection Checklist

A damaged or misused shield can fail when it's needed most. OSHA requires shields to be used within their design, installed to restrict movement and free of damage that could impair them (1926.652(d) and (g)). Nothing you check here is saved.

Documentation and rating

• Manufacturer's tabulated data on site and matches this box
• Identification or rating plate present and readable
• Box (or stacked assembly) rated for the full trench depth in this soil type
• Spreader lengths and positions allowed by the tabulated data
• No unapproved modifications (welds, drilled holes, cut panels)

Condition of the box

• Side walls free of bends, dents, cracks or bulges beyond manufacturer limits
• Welds intact, no cracks
• Spreaders straight, undamaged, correct length
• Spreader collars and pins present, correct type, secured with keepers
• Knife edges and bottom edges undamaged
• Lifting points and rigging attachments undamaged
• Stacking connections use the manufacturer's pins and are fully engaged

Installation

• Box set before anyone enters the trench
• Bottom of box no more than 2 feet above the floor, and only if rated for the full depth with no soil loss
• Gap between walls and box minimized or backfilled to limit lateral movement
• Box extends at least 18 inches above the vertical side where the trench is sloped above
• Ends sloped, plated or otherwise protected where workers are near them
• Ladder inside the box, extending 3 feet above the top of the trench

Use

• No one inside while the box is installed, removed or moved vertically
• Manufacturer's rules followed for dragging the box (no occupancy unless allowed)
• Workers stay inside the box while working and don't step out of the ends
• No loads swung over workers in the box
• Spoil and equipment kept back from the edge to limit surcharge

Result

• Box acceptable for use
• Box removed from service and tagged for evaluation by a registered professional engineer (if damaged)

Last reviewed: October 25, 2026 · Free general education based on OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P. It does not replace the site-specific training and competent person your employer must provide, and it does not issue a certificate. Nothing you enter on this page is saved or sent.