Free job hazard analysis · 29 CFR 1926.650-652
Trenching and Excavation JHA Template for Crew Planning
A trenching and excavation JHA lays out the work sequence and controls for utility strikes, cave-ins, equipment contact, and entry hazards. This template starts with utility locating and soil classification, then covers excavation, protective systems, trench work, and backfill. Foremen and competent persons use it to coordinate the plan before equipment breaks ground.
The full trenching and excavation JHA template
Trenching and Excavation. Blanks in [brackets] are for your own details.
The printable copy downloads as a web page file: open it in your browser, then print it or save it as a PDF.
Job hazard analysis for excavation work including soil classification, protective systems, and utility locating.
- Step 1
Call 811 and locate underground utilities
High riskHazards
Striking gas, electric, water, or sewer lines
Controls
Call 811 minimum 48 hours before digging. Hand-dig within 18 inches of marked utilities. Pothole to verify depth.
- Step 2
Classify soil and plan protective system
High riskHazards
Trench collapse (cave-in)
Controls
Competent person classifies soil (A, B, or C). Select protective system: sloping, benching, shoring, or trench box.
- Step 3
Excavate trench
High riskHazards
Cave-in, struck by equipment, falling into trench
Controls
Keep spoil pile 2 feet from edge. Barricade perimeter. Competent person inspects daily and after rain/vibration events.
- Step 4
Install protective system
High riskHazards
Collapse during installation, equipment contact
Controls
Install from outside the trench when possible. Tabulated data or engineered shoring. Trench box extends 18" above grade.
- Step 5
Enter trench and perform work
High riskHazards
Atmospheric hazards, water accumulation, falling objects
Controls
Test atmosphere if >4 feet deep and potential hazard exists. Pump water before entry. Hard hats required. Ladder access every 25 feet.
- Step 6
Backfill and restore
Medium riskHazards
Equipment contact, unstable ground, utility damage
Controls
Remove protective system from outside trench. Compact backfill in lifts. Verify utility integrity. Restore surface.
The printable copy lays the steps out as a table with Prepared by, Reviewed by and Date lines.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a qualified person check it against your site, your state's rules and the standard before you rely on it.
Trenching and excavation JHA: when it’s needed
Write the analysis before digging and revisit it when soil, depth, water, weather, or adjacent loads change. Federal OSHA generally recommends a JHA rather than requiring that particular document. Excavation protections are mandatory independently: 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1) requires a protective system at five feet or deeper unless entirely in stable rock, and shallower excavations may also need protection. Section 1926.651(k) requires competent-person inspections before work each day and as conditions warrant. Your analysis should identify who can stop entry and correct unsafe conditions.
How to use this trenching and excavation JHA template
- Confirm utility locations and local notification requirements before choosing excavation methods or allowing equipment near marked services.
- Have the competent person assess soil, depth, adjacent structures, traffic loads, and water before selecting a protective system.
- Lay out spoil storage, equipment setback, access points, and worker exclusion areas on the actual excavation footprint.
- Review installation, entry, inspection, and removal steps with the crew, using the protective system’s approved design information.
Before you use this trenching and excavation JHA template: what to fill in and check
- Utility owner responses, marking validity, notification lead times, and excavation tolerance zones.
- Soil classification, trench dimensions, groundwater, nearby foundations, and surface loading.
- Protective system tabulated data, installation limits, and any required engineered design.
- Competent person’s name, inspection arrangements, ladder positions, and emergency communication method.
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Trenching and excavation JHA questions
How close must a ladder be to workers in a trench?
For trenches four feet or deeper, 29 CFR 1926.651(c)(2) requires a stairway, ladder, ramp, or other safe means of egress located so workers travel no more than twenty-five feet laterally. Measure from the actual work positions. A single ladder at one end of a long trench may leave workers too far from an exit.
How far back should excavated soil be kept?
Section 1926.651(j)(2) addresses material or equipment that could fall or roll into an excavation. Keep it at least two feet from the edge, use retaining devices that provide sufficient protection, or use both where necessary. Two feet is not a determination that heavy equipment surcharge is safe; include those loads in protective system planning.
Does calling 811 finish the utility check before trenching?
No. Notification starts the locating process; you still need the required responses and a safe way to establish exact utility locations as excavation approaches them under 29 CFR 1926.651(b). State notification periods and tolerance-zone rules differ. Replace the template’s fixed timing and hand-dig distance with the applicable local requirements. Protective systems deeper than twenty feet require registered professional engineer design.