Trench competent person

Definition

The named individual with authority to stop the work, not just to spot the hazard.

Why It Matters

The federal definition turns on authorization: this is somebody who can identify the hazard and take prompt corrective measures, which means stopping a crew that is already behind. A protective system is required for every employee in an excavation, except in stable rock or in a cut less than five feet deep where that person finds no indication of cave-in. Any trench four feet or deeper needs a ladder or ramp within twenty-five feet of lateral travel. A trench fatality is this trade's signature catastrophic event and it prices the experience modifier that decides the insurance.