Opinion ID: 626246
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Regulatory Scheme Regarding Trenches

Text: We first lay the relevant regulatory foundation. Federal safety regulations require that any excavation at least five feet deep in potentially unstable soil be protected from cave-ins using approved protective measures such as shoring or trench boxes. See 29 C.F.R. § 1926.652(a)(1) (the cave-in provision). In addition, any trench with a depth of four feet or more must have a ladder or other safe means of egress positioned within twenty-five feet of where employees in the trench are working. See id. § 1926.651(c)(2) (the ladder provision). All excavations, protective systems, and adjacent areas must be inspected by a competent person before the start of work and as needed throughout a shift. Id. § 1926.651(k)(1) (the inspection provision). A competent person is defined as one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and who has the authority to eliminate them. Id. § 1926.650(b).