Trenching & excavation safety inspection — with a free AI photo scan
A trenching and excavation safety inspection verifies protective systems before anyone enters: sloping, shoring, or a trench box for excavations 5 feet or deeper, spoil piles kept back from the edge, safe access and egress within 25 feet of workers, and no water accumulation or visible tension cracks. OSHA Scan gives crews a fast first pass — photograph the excavation and the AI flags visible issues like an unprotected trench, spoil dumped at the edge, or missing ladder access, referencing the OSHA standard each finding may relate to. It reviews visible conditions only and does not replace the competent-person inspection OSHA requires before each shift.
- Competent person on site and in charge
- Protective system for trenches 5 feet or deeper
- Spoil pile set back at least 2 feet
- Access within 25 feet of workers
When does a trench need a protective system?
Under 29 CFR 1926.652, excavations 5 feet or deeper generally require sloping, benching, shoring, or a shield system unless the cut is entirely in stable rock. Under 5 feet, a competent person must still judge whether protection is needed. The scan flags visibly unprotected trenches; the soil-type call that drives the design stays with the competent person.
Can AI classify soil type from a photo?
No — soil classification requires manual and sometimes lab testing by a competent person, and it decides which protective system is legal. The scan is limited to what is visible: protection present or absent, spoil setback, access, water, and edge cracking. Soil typing is always listed under what to verify manually.
How often does OSHA require excavation inspections?
Daily before work begins, and again as conditions change — after rain, vibration, or any sign of instability. Because a photo scan takes seconds, crews use it to add checks through the day between the competent person's formal inspections, with a time-stamped record each time.