J18 Excavation and Trench

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, Part 20 (excavations, ss. 20.78 to 20.95) and s. 31.5(2) (written rescue procedures) (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation [BC], 2026, ss. 20.78-20.95, 31.5).

What must be covered.

• Trigger and protection. Before a worker enters an excavation over 1.2 m (4 ft) deep, or approaches closer to a side than the excavation’s depth, the sides are sloped, benched, shored or supported by a trench box (s. 20.81(1)).
• Engineer. Written instructions of a qualified registered professional where the excavation is deeper than 6 m (20 ft), undermines or is next to a structure, is subject to vibration or hydrostatic pressure, or the ground slopes away steeper than 3 horizontal to 1 vertical (s. 20.78(1)); support structures designed by a professional engineer (s. 20.78(2)).
• Shoring. Shoring extends from 30 cm above the ground to within 60 cm of the bottom (s. 20.81(5)); non-engineered shoring follows Table 20-1 (s. 20.85).
• Utilities. Located before powered excavation begins (s. 20.79).
• Spoil. At least 60 cm (2 ft) from the edge of a trench and 1.2 m (4 ft) from the edge of other excavations (s. 20.90(1)).
• Access. A ladder or other exit within 8 m (25 ft) of workers in a trench deeper than 1.2 m (s. 20.87(2)).
• Fire department procedures. Written procedures for rescue from trenches and excavations where the service provides it (s. 31.5(2)).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption.
• WorkSafeBC reports a periodic-certification amendment for equipment in several Parts, including Part 20, due 2027-09-01 (WorkSafeBC, 2026b).

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (Part 20, consolidation current to 2026-10-20). The 2027 amendment is from a WorkSafeBC magazine article.

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Code, Part 32 (excavating and tunnelling) (Occupational Health and Safety Code [AB], 2025, ss. 449-459).

What must be covered.

• Trigger. Protection where an excavation is more than 1.5 m deep and a worker is closer to the wall than its depth (s. 450).
• Protective systems. Walls cut back, with any vertical portion no more than 1.5 m, or temporary protective structures, or both (ss. 450-451); prescribed shoring for trenches 1.5 m to 6 m deep (s. 457).
• Engineer. Temporary protective structures more than 3 m deep are designed and certified by a professional engineer (s. 456(1)); an engineer may certify that the ground is stable, which lifts ss. 450 to 459 (s. 449).
• Spoil. The leading edge at least 1 m from the edge of the excavation (s. 453(a)).
• Access. In a trench more than 1.5 m deep, a safe entry and exit no more than 8 m from the worker (s. 455(1)).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption in Part 32, and the emergency relief for flammable atmospheres in s. 162(2) does not reach trench protection (see J17 Confined Space).
• The engineer’s stable-ground certificate in s. 449 belongs to a planned excavation; a rescue team should not rely on one for ground that has already collapsed.

Status. Verified against the official text (Code consolidated to 2025-03-31): ss. 449 to 457 read on 2026-10-24.

Law. The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020, Part 17 (excavations, trenches, tunnels and excavated shafts, ss. 17-1 to 17-8) and s. 2-1 (notices) (The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020 [SK], 2021, ss. 2-1, 17-4-17-8).

What must be covered.

• Trigger. Protection where a worker is in an excavation or trench more than 1.2 m deep (ss. 17-6(1), 17-7(1)).
• Protective systems. Cutting back by soil type (1:1 for types 1 and 2 to within 1.2 m of the bottom; 1:1 from the bottom for type 3; 3:1 for type 4), or a temporary protective structure built to Table 14 or engineered, extending 300 mm above the top (ss. 17-4(2), 17-5, 17-6(2), 17-7(2)).
• Engineer. Shoring for an excavation over 3 m (s. 17-6(3)); shoring for a trench over 6 m in soil types 1 to 3 or over 4 m in type 4 (s. 17-7(3)); excavated shafts 3 m or deeper (s. 17-8(1)(b)).
• Spoil. Spoil, equipment and materials at least 1 m from the edge, with spoil sloped no steeper than 1:1 (s. 17-4(1)(c), (e)).
• Access and attendance. A ladder, stair or ramp within 8 m of a worker in a trench (s. 17-7(6)(b)); a competent worker on the surface for trenches over 1.2 m (s. 17-7(5)).
• Notice. The ministry is notified before workers enter an excavation, trench or shaft more than 5 m deep (s. 2-1(1)(b)).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter or rescue exemption. Part 32 names trench rescue among the special operations that need training (s. 32-1).

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (consolidation last updated 2021-04-01).

Law. Workplace Safety and Health Regulation, Part 26 (excavations and tunnels) (Workplace Safety and Health Regulation [MB], 2026, ss. 26.1-26.16.1).

What must be covered.

• Scope. Part 26 applies to every workplace where excavation work takes place (s. 26.1).
• Open excavations. Support only where there is a danger of cave-in at 1.5 m or less; more than 1.5 m to 3 m: walls sloped no steeper than 45 degrees, or benched with a vertical face of no more than 1 m, or shored to the Schedule, or otherwise supported, or engineered (s. 26.15(2)); more than 3 m: designed and certified by a professional engineer (s. 26.15(4)-(5)).
• Trenches. More than 1.5 m to 4.5 m: Schedule shoring or an engineered alternative (s. 26.16(2)); more than 4.5 m: engineered (s. 26.16(4)); adjacent structures supported to an engineer’s design (s. 26.16.1).
• Spoil. At least 1 m from the edge (s. 26.10(2)).
• Guarding. Where a fall of more than 3 m into the excavation is possible (s. 26.12(2)).
• Access. A ladder, stairway or ramp for excavations or trenches more than 1.5 m deep; the ladder extends 1 m above the top and is no more than 3 m from a worker in a trench (s. 26.14).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption. Part 42 requires written procedures for the specialized rescues a department provides (s. 42.2); see J12 Fire Service OHS Rules and Fireground Operations.
• The 3 m ladder spacing is the strictest in Canada; plan ladder placement in rescue shoring layouts.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (regulation current to 2026-10-20).

Law. O. Reg. 213/91, Construction Projects, Part III (excavations) and s. 7 (notices) (Construction Projects [ON], 2026, ss. 7, 225-241); O. Reg. 343/22, Firefighter Certification (Firefighter Certification [ON], 2026, Table 1). Guidance: Section 21 guidance notes 6-28 (rescue from a collapsed trench) and 6-46 (structural collapse) (MLITSD, n.d.).

What must be covered.

• Trigger. A support system is required unless the excavation is less than 1.2 m deep, no worker enters, it is in sound rock, or the walls are sloped as s. 234(2) allows (s. 234); an engineer’s written opinion can replace a support system only for excavations that are not trenches and not in Type 4 soil.
• Support systems. Timbering to the s. 238 table, or prefabricated, hydraulic or engineered systems designed by an engineer (ss. 235-236); a trench deeper than 6 m or wider than 3.6 m needs a system engineered for the specific location (s. 235(2)).
• Edges. A level area at least 1 m wide from each wall kept clear of equipment, soil and material (s. 233(1)); a barrier at least 1.1 m high where a person could fall more than 2.4 m (s. 233(4)); supports extend 0.3 m above grade (s. 241).
• Access and attendance. Ladders inside the protected area, with no spacing prescribed (s. 240); no trench work unless another worker is above ground nearby (s. 225).
• Notice. Notice to the ministry for a trench deeper than 1.2 m that a worker may enter (s. 7).
• Certification. A department that provides trench rescue must have members certified to NFPA 1006 (2021) chapter 12 at the Operations (12.2) or Technician (12.3) level from 2028-07-01 (Firefighter Certification [ON], 2026, Table 1, items 36-37).

Fire-service nuance.

• The excavation rules apply to construction projects. A collapse on a project site is on a project, but how the ministry applies Part III to a rescuing fire department is not settled in the text. Treat the Part III systems as the minimum for any rescue entry.
• Guidance note 6-28 says untrained firefighters should never enter a collapsed trench, and that a department without the capability needs an arrangement with an agency that has it (MLITSD, n.d., GN 6-28).

Status. Verified against the official text (e-Laws, current to 2026-10-20): O. Reg. 213/91 ss. 7, 225 and 233 to 241 read on 2026-10-24; O. Reg. 343/22 Table 1 read on 2026-10-23. The application to fire department rescue is an interpretation.

Law. Safety Code for the construction industry, ss. 3.15.1 to 3.15.10 (Safety Code for the construction industry [QC], 2026, ss. 3.15.1-3.15.10). The Regulation respecting occupational health and safety has no trench rules.

What must be covered.

• Shoring. The banks of an excavation or trench are “shored solidly with quality materials in accordance with the plans and specifications of an engineer”, unless the dig is in solid rock or no worker descends into it; or there is no risk of collapse and the banks “slope less than 45º from a point less than 1.2 m from the bottom”; or there is no risk of collapse and an engineer attests in writing that shoring is not needed (s. 3.15.3(1)).
• Shoring details. Extends 300 mm above the excavation; installed as the work progresses; walls inspected and maintained; removed from the bottom up by an experienced person (s. 3.15.3(2)-(6)).
• Edges. No materials within 1.2 m of the rim; no vehicles or machines within 3 m unless reinforced shoring is used (s. 3.15.3(5)).
• Access and supervision. Ladders at intervals of 15 m, resting on the bottom and extending at least 1 m above ground; an experienced person posted at ground level whenever workers are in a trench (s. 3.15.4).
• Barriers. For digs more than 3 m deep (s. 3.15.5).
• Utilities and adjoining structures. Underground piping located before digging (s. 3.15.1); shoring or a sub-structure, with plans on site, where digging may affect adjoining structures (s. 3.15.2).
• Minimum age. No worker under 18 in excavations or trenches (s. 3.15.10).

Fire-service nuance.

• The Code governs construction sites, where most trench collapses happen; it contains no rescue exemption. A rescue entry on a site meets the shoring rule or does not proceed.
• Quebec’s rule is engineer-designed shoring by default, with narrow exceptions, which favours manufactured rescue shoring with tabulated data.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (ss. 3.15.1-3.15.10 read in the consolidation of 2026-07-01).

Law. General Regulation 91-191, Part XIII (excavations and trenches, ss. 180 to 188.1) (General Regulation: Occupational Health and Safety Act [NB], 2026, ss. 180-188.1).

What must be covered.

• Trigger. Walls supported by shoring, bracing or caging unless the trench is less than 1.2 m deep, cut in solid rock, sloped or benched no steeper than 1 vertical to 1 horizontal to within 1.2 m of the bottom, or not entered (s. 181(1)); no one enters a trench 1.2 m or deeper unless these conditions are met (s. 182(1)).
• Engineer. Shoring, bracing or caging “certified as adequate by an engineer”, with proof available (s. 181(4)).
• Spoil. At least 1.2 m from the edge (s. 183(1)); in rock deeper than 1.8 m, set back by its own height or a fence 1 m from the face (s. 183(2)).
• Access. A ladder extending at least 1 m above the trench, no more than 15 m from the worker (s. 182(1)(d)).
• Utilities and poles. Located before excavation, with controls within 600 mm (s. 180); poles within 3 m of an excavation deeper than 1.2 m supported or removed (s. 180(3)).
• Attendance and atmosphere. An observer on the surface (s. 185); atmospheric testing under the confined space Part where needed (s. 184(2)); barriers against traffic (s. 188(2)).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption in Part XIII, unlike the confined space and fall protection Parts; see J17 Confined Space and J16 Fall Protection and Rope Access. Trench rescue needs engineer-certified protective systems and spoil and ladder control.

Status. Verified against the official text (consolidated to 2026-06-30): ss. 180 to 188 read on 2026-10-24.

Law. Occupational Safety General Regulations, Part 14 (excavations and trenches, ss. 166 to 173) and s. 2(ae) (Occupational Safety General Regulations [NS], 2025, ss. 2, 166-173). Part 14 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations is a placeholder that points here (Workplace Health and Safety Regulations [NS], 2025, Part 14).

What must be covered.

• Definition. A trench is an excavation whose depth exceeds its width (s. 2(ae)).
• Trigger. Walls over 1.2 m high are shored, braced or protected by a trench cage unless they are in sound, stable rock, sloped no steeper than 1 vertical to 1 horizontal measured to within 1.2 m of the bottom, or no person enters within a horizontal distance equal to the wall height (s. 166(1)); steeper slopes only with an engineer’s written certification (s. 166(5)).
• Access. For an excavation 1.2 m or deeper, a ladder extending at least 1 m above the top within 15 m of the worker, or other access in a trench cage (s. 167).
• Spoil. At least 1 m from the edge unless an engineer certifies a shorter distance, placed so it cannot fall back (s. 168).
• Water and atmosphere. Kept reasonably free of water; atmospheric testing before entry where hazardous substances or oxygen enrichment may exist; temporary excavations over 1.2 m fenced or barricaded (s. 169).
• Trench cages. An engineer-certified design with a depth limit and nameplate, inspected daily by a competent person, and placed no more than 900 mm above the bottom (ss. 170-172).
• Shoring. To an engineer-certified design or commercially manufactured, installed to the engineer’s or manufacturer’s specifications (s. 173).

Fire-service nuance.

• No soil classification scheme and no firefighter exemption. A rescue entry is work in an excavation, and the protective system the department installs is judged against ss. 166 and 173.
• Soil typing used in rescue training comes from NFPA and United States practice, not Nova Scotia law.

Status. Verified against the official text: Part 14 read in the official consolidation on 2026-10-22. The application to rescue entries is an interpretation.

Law. General Regulations, Part 12 (excavations, ss. 12.1 to 12.8) (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations [PE], 2025, ss. 12.1-12.8).

What must be covered.

• Trigger. Shoring unless the cut is less than 1.219 m (4 ft) deep, in solid rock, sloped at 1:1 to within 1.219 m of the bottom, or not entered (s. 12.2(1)).
• Engineer. Shoring and bracing certified adequate by a professional engineer (s. 12.2(3)).
• Entry at 1.219 m or deeper. CSA headwear and footwear, and ladders extending 914 mm above the edge within 15.24 m (50 ft) of workers (s. 12.3).
• Spoil. At least 609 mm (2 ft) from the edge (s. 12.5).
• Other. No installing or removing shoring from inside the trench (s. 12.4); a worker on the surface observes those in the excavation (s. 12.8); underground utilities located, with precautions within 609 mm (s. 12.1).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption.
• The rule against installing or removing shoring from inside the trench (s. 12.4) shapes how a rescue team sequences its panels and struts; plan it before the call.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (consolidated to 2025-01-01).

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012, Part XVIII (excavations, ss. 406 to 410) (Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012 [NL], 2026, ss. 406-410).

What must be covered.

• Trigger. No entry to an excavation “over 1.22 metres deep” unless the sides are sloped to a safe angle or secured by sheet piling, shoring and bracing, a trench box or “other effective means” (s. 406(4)); added loads are considered in the design (s. 406(5)).
• Engineer. No engineer requirement was found in Part XVIII.
• Spoil. At least 1.22 m from the edge of a trench and 1.52 m from the edge of a pit (s. 408).
• Access. Ladders “in the immediate area where the worker is employed”, extending at least 0.91 m above the top (s. 407(1)); no spacing interval.
• Other. Unsecured trees and boulders within 1.83 m secured before digging (s. 406(3)); guarding against falls into the excavation (s. 410).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption. With no engineer rule, the department’s own standard (manufactured rescue shoring used within its tabulated data) is what protects the crew.
• A written rescue and evacuation procedure is required for work where rescue may be needed (s. 38(3)); see J17 Confined Space.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (consolidated to NLR 48/26).

Law. Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, Part 10 (construction, ss. 10.62 to 10.72) and s. 11.04(3) (Workplace Health and Safety Regulations [YT], 2022, ss. 10.62-10.72, 11.04).

What must be covered.

• Trigger. Before a worker enters a trench deeper than 1.2 m, the walls are sloped, benched, shored to Table 10-9 (up to 6 m) or protected by trench boxes (s. 10.65); the minimum slope in hard soil is 3 horizontal to 4 vertical.
• Engineer. Required where the excavation is deeper than 6 m, uses support structures, is next to structures, is subject to hydraulic pressure or vibration, has ground sloping steeper than 3 horizontal to 1 vertical, has extraordinary conditions, or is in permafrost (s. 10.62).
• Notice. The board is notified before work deeper than 6 m or in permafrost (s. 10.63).
• Utilities. Located, with hand digging within 0.6 m (s. 10.64).
• Spoil. At least 0.6 m from a trench edge and 1.2 m from other excavations (s. 10.70(1)).
• Access. In trenches deeper than 1.2 m, entry and exit within 8 m of workers; ladders extend 1 m above the top (s. 10.69).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption. Part 11 requires written procedures for trench and excavation rescue where the department may do it (s. 11.04(3)).
• Permafrost changes how trench walls behave when they thaw; an engineer’s input is required in law for planned work and is prudent for rescue planning.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (WSCB rendering of Part 10 read). Amendments after the rendering were not checked.

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part 17 (excavations, ss. 263 to 272) and s. 7 (notices) (Occupational Health and Safety Regulations [NT], 2024, ss. 7, 263-272).

What must be covered.

• Trigger. Protection for a trench more than 1.2 m deep, and for an excavation more than 1.2 m deep where the worker is closer to the wall than its depth (ss. 269-270).
• Protective systems. Cutting back by soil type 1 to 4 (s. 266(2)), Schedule N shoring, or an engineered system.
• Engineer. For excavations more than 3 m deep, and for trenches more than 6 m deep in soil types 1 to 3 or more than 4 m in type 4 (ss. 269(3), 270(3)).
• Spoil. Spoil and equipment at least 1 m from the edge, with the spoil slope no steeper than 45 degrees (s. 266(1)).
• Access and attendance. A ladder, stair or ramp within 8 m of the worker, and a competent worker stationed on the surface (s. 270(5)-(6)).
• Notice and utilities. The Chief Safety Officer is notified of excavations more than 5 m deep (s. 7(1)(b)); utilities are hand-exposed within 600 mm (s. 265).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption. The volunteer department exemption power in s. 477 covers Part 32 only.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (consolidation in force since about 2024-09-26).

Law. Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part 17, identical to the Northwest Territories (Occupational Health and Safety Regulations [NU], 2021, ss. 7, 263-272).

What must be covered.

• Trigger, engineer, spoil and access. As in the Northwest Territories: protection at more than 1.2 m; spoil at least 1 m from the edge (s. 266(1)(c)); an engineer for trenches more than 6 m deep in soil types 1 to 3 or more than 4 m in type 4 (s. 270(3)); a ladder within 8 m (s. 270(6)); notice for excavations more than 5 m deep (s. 7(1)(b)).

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption. Permafrost and seasonal thaw affect wall stability; plan rescue shoring with that in mind.

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (official consolidation 2021-09-28, compared with the Northwest Territories text).

Law. Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, s. 3.12 (Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations [CA], 2026, s. 3.12).

What must be covered.

• Utilities and barricades. Underground services marked before work begins, and hazardous excavations barricaded.
• Trigger and protection. Shoring and bracing in a tunnel, excavation or trench “more than 1.4 m deep and whose sides are sloped at an angle of 45° or more”; a steel-plate trench box is an alternative.
• Installation. Shoring installed and removed by “a qualified person”; no engineer requirement.
• Spoil. Spoil, tools and objects at least 1 m from the edge.
• Access. No ladder-spacing rule.

Fire-service nuance.

• No firefighter exemption; the PPE carve-out in s. 12.03(2) does not reach excavation protection.
• The federal rule is the least detailed in Canada; a federal fire service that offers trench rescue should adopt NFPA 2500 and NFPA 1006 by policy (NFPA 1006, 2021; NFPA 2500, 2022).

Status. Verified against the official text on 2026-10-23 (consolidated to 2026-09-30).