The competent person for excavation work at construction sites is responsible for identifying and evaluating the hazards associated with all trenching and excavation operations. The competent person also oversees  excavation work to ensure that all necessary precautions are taken to protect workers. Therefore, it is critical that employers ensure adequate excavation training for the competent person at construction sites.

CFR 1926 Subpart P of the OSHA construction standards sets forth the requirements for excavation work in construction environments. Based on those OSHA requirements, the competent person for excavation work at construction sites must be trained in the following:

• The Scope and Application of the OSHA Excavation Standards: The competent person must be able to identify when and where all of the OSHA excavation standards apply. They must also understand additional associated requirements such as local or state utility protection codes.
• How to Evaluate Hazards Associated with Excavation Work: The competent person must assess the risks and potential hazards associated with each excavation. This includes testing and classifying the soil,  monitoring the atmosphere for toxic gases or flammable vapors when necessary, and conducting regular inspections of the excavation site and associated equipment to identify real and potential hazards that arise from work activities.
• Proper Selection and Installation of Protective Systems: Based on the type of soil at the excavation site plus other factors, such as water at the site and the width and depth of the excavation, the competent person must select a suitable protective system to protect workers from cave-ins. They must oversee installation of the protective system using either OSHA standards, manufacturer’s instructions, or tabulated date prepared by a registered professional engineer.

Excavation Competent Person Certification of Training

Certain OSHA requirements dictate that all training for the designated competent person for excavation operations at construction sites be certified by the employer. Furthermore, excavation competent person training certification records should be available for inspection by an OSHA compliance officer during compliance inspections.