The company is the only authority that can designate an employee as a competent person for excavating and trenching. This course covers the basis of OSHA Subpart-P Excavation and Trenching requirements. However, this course also includes the basics of soil mechanics, practical exercises on calculating sloping and benching that allow the employer to see if their competent persons can perform the math required of a competent person, practical exercises for hand manipulation of soil samples to determine soil types, and an in-depth review on reading manufacturer's tabulated data. This course runs from 6-8 hours because of the performance-based elements required of the students. Each participant will receive a copy of the Excavation and Trenching Standard.