Jenkins Academy of Applied Technology
Excavation and Trenching — Construction Safety
Learn OSHA construction excavation requirements: utility location, soil, cave-in protection, safe access, equipment, water, hazardous air and inspections. Twelve audible lessons with practice and a final quiz. Allow about 50–65 minutes; actual equipment, soil-testing and task skills remain separate.
EXC-001 · School of Occupational Safety · General Occupational Safety
Open for enrollment · Free with sign-up · Noncredit. 12 lessons and a 24-question final knowledge assessment.
For: Excavation workers and competent-person responsibility awareness
The outline and resources are public. Sign in, enable free Academy course access and choose your study pace in My Learning to save your learning progress. Learning and practice are free; the optional assessment/certificate offer is described below.
Optional assessment and certificate: $49.99 one time, plus applicable tax; included with active SMS. Learning and practice remain free. Purchase alone never awards a certificate. See the exact completion requirements and purchase terms →
What you will study
- Recognize the excavation and responsible people
- Plan the dig and locate underground services
- Understand soil classification and changing conditions
- Select a valid cave-in protection method
- Use shoring and shields within their design
- Control installation, movement and removal
- Provide safe entry, exit and crossings
- Control spoil, equipment and falling loads
- Control water and protect nearby structures
- Test and control hazardous air
- Inspect before work and after changes
- Verify workplace skills and prepare for emergencies
Assessment and completion
Complete the lessons in order and correctly answer every practice check. Practice is unlimited. Pass the final with at least 80% overall and every critical decision correct. Three final attempts are available per set, using alternating assessment forms and targeted lesson review after an unsuccessful attempt. An assessment attempt counts only when the server confirms it.
After passing, submit a 1–5 star rating to finish the course. Every rating is accepted equally; written feedback is optional. Your account retains the online knowledge completion, and you can download a knowledge record. This course does not issue an OSHA Outreach card or a professional or occupational certification.
Employer workplace component
This online knowledge component does not designate a competent person or qualify a protective-system designer, installer, equipment operator or rescuer. The employer must provide actual site and task instruction, verify skills, select and install adequate protection, perform inspections and establish emergency arrangements.
The employer determines applicability and provides instruction in language and vocabulary the employee understands. Where the standard requires interaction with a knowledgeable or qualified trainer, arrange appropriate access through the employer. Academy support is asynchronous and has no guaranteed response time. Use the employer’s designated route for urgent safety decisions and required timely trainer access.
Online completion alone does not establish workplace compliance, operator qualification, competent-person status or permission to perform a hazardous task. Keep employer verification and any medical information in the employer’s appropriate records.
Learning resources
- Learner reference and sources ↗
- Employer workplace verification ↗
- Regulatory crosswalk ↗
- Excavation planning and utility verification ↗
- Soil evidence and protective-system review ↗
- Competent-person inspection and correction ↗
- Access, atmospheric controls and emergency readiness ↗
- Worker training and task verification ↗
Version 1.0.0. Federal source review: 2026-10-22. The regulatory crosswalk identifies the course scope and primary sources; state-plan and employer requirements may add obligations.
Assessment and retake policy · Registration and record policy