ISO 45001 COMPLIANTDISH-APPROVED

Half-Day Training

Practical half-day certification program focused on operational safety, compliance confidence, and site-level risk control.

Program Overview

What makes excavation fatalities particularly tragic is that the required knowledge to prevent them is well-established, accessible, and not especially complex. Soil needs to be correctly classified. The appropriate protective system - sloping, benching, shoring, or trench shielding - needs to be selected and correctly installed. Daily inspections need to be conducted by a trained competent person. Access and egress ladders need to be provided within five metres of workers in the trench. Water needs to be managed. Surcharge loads need to be kept clear of the trench edge. These are not complex requirements - they are life-saving fundamentals that ICLM's Excavation and Trenching Safety Training instils with the seriousness they deserve.

This training is not just for excavation workers - it is for every supervisor, safety officer, project manager, and site engineer who has authority over or responsibility for excavation work. Because the competent person requirement under OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P - the trained individual responsible for soil classification, inspection, and protective system approval - is not a formality. It is the last line of defence between a routine excavation and a fatal trench collapse.

Pre-Use Checks

Daily inspection discipline and hazard spotting basics.

Control Principles

Safe methods, sequencing, and decision making in operations.

Emergency Response

Incident communication and immediate response actions.

Core Learning Modules

Module 01

Classify soils as Type A, Type B, or Type C using visual and manual testing methods in the field

Module 02

Select appropriate protective systems based on soil classification, trench depth, and site conditions: sloping, benching, shoring, and trench shielding

Module 03

Install and inspect hydraulic shoring systems, timber shoring, and pre-manufactured trench boxes correctly

Module 04

Conduct daily excavation inspections as a competent person before workers enter and after any rainfall or disturbance

Module 05

Identify excavation hazards including water infiltration, tension cracks, fissured soil, vibration, and surcharge loads

Module 06

Manage underground utility location procedures to prevent strikes on buried gas, electrical, water, and telecommunications services

Module 7

Establish safe access and egress for workers in trenches including ladder placement and structural ramp requirements

Module 8

Control water accumulation in excavations using dewatering equipment and understand its effect on soil stability

Module 9

Manage atmospheric hazards in deep excavations and apply confined space principles where applicable

Module 10

Comply with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P and fulfill competent person responsibilities under the standard