10 Excavation training programs with certificates
All construction projects must begin with excavation. But, without the proper safety measures, this task can put your workers at risk of cave-ins. Secure your team’s well-being with these excavation training programs that cover everything your team needs to know about excavation safety.
Specific Excavation Requirements (US)
This course by SC Training (formerly EdApp) meets OSHA excavation standards because most of its information is sourced through their guidebook on trenching and excavation safety and OSHA standard 1926.651. It’s mobile-friendly and can be delivered to your team with just a sign-up.
This course has three lessons: specific excavation requirements, protective equipment, and inspections. It highlights that the best practices for excavation work happen in the planning stage. The course also has a final assessment to make sure your team has properly received their training.
You can easily incorporate this course into your excavation training program with SC Training’s Group Training feature. With this, you can automatically monitor your team’s progress, check attendance, and note down training sessions.
Created by: SC Training
Length: 5-10 minutes per lesson (self-paced)
Certificate: Available
Cost: Free (up to 10 users)
Excavation and Trenching
SC Training (formerly EdApp) also offers another excavation training course in excavation and trenching. This course has been created with industry experts for the most up-to-date safety practices and excavation know-how. Its main focus is trenching, a type of excavation used for utility lines and other pipe systems.
Trenching is crucial to building structures and creating pipelines for electricity, water, and waste disposal. But, without the correct safety systems and practices, the worksite is prone to rockfalls or cave-ins. This is why employers and employees must understand the safety procedures for preventing these incidents.
This course can be done on any device at any time and has gamification features that help increase engagement and retention rates. These come in the form of fun activities that test your team’s understanding of excavation safety.
Created by: SC Training
Length: 5-10 minutes per lesson (self-paced)
Certificate: Available
Cost: Free (up to 10 users)
OSHA Competent Person For Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring Training
HAZWOPER OSHA offers an extensive OSHA excavation training course that complies with OSHA Regulation 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P. It covers the knowledge needed to become a safe and efficient worker in an excavation site. This includes proper soil classification, the role of a competent person, and the best practices to avoid cave-ins.
Created by: HAZWOPER OSHA
Length: 3 hours
Certificate: Available
Cost: 59.99 USD
OSHA Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring Training for Competent Persons
This excavation training course by Hazmat School is self-paced and can be completed within 30 days. Apart from the general coverage of excavations, the course also goes in-depth about shoring systems. These are structures that can temporarily support a building for construction or repairs. To receive the certificate, your team must pass an online exam within 3 tries.
Created by: Hazmat School
Length: 3 hours (self-paced)
Certificate: Available
Cost: 49 USD
Excavations Safety Training
OSHA Education Center has a comprehensive excavations safety training program that includes a certificate of completion. It covers general safety tips, the different kinds of trench collapses, alternatives to shoring, and the daily issues that can happen in an excavation worksite. This course can be completed anytime for up to 180 days.
Created by: OSHA Education Center
Length: 2 hours (self-paced)
Certificate: Available
Cost: 24.95 USD
Trenching and Excavation Safety
This online course from Compliance Training Online was designed for anyone who works in excavation or trenching sites. Some course highlights include sloping and benching systems, timber shoring for trenches, and how to behave in an excavation site. Though there’s an exam portion, your team can complete this course at any time.
Created by: Compliance Training Online
Length: 2 hours (self-paced)
Certificate: Available
Cost: Plans start at 39.95 per student
Excavation Certification
Advanced Safety Training’s course is a great introduction to excavator operator training. It’s an excavation competent person training course to help them become efficient and responsible team members. After finishing this course, they’ll be able to identify and follow the proper safety measures for excavation. They can receive this course in their Logistics and Operations bundle.
Created by: Advanced Safety Training
Length: 40 minutes
Certificate: Available
Cost: 19.99 USD
Excavation Safety For Construction
ClickSafety’s Excavation Safety For Construction can equip you and your team with the knowledge to create a safer excavation site. Its main objective is to go over the most common hazards and safety measures in excavation and trenching sites. It also talks about air monitoring, spoils piles, and common excavation myths.
Created by: ClickSafety
Length: 45 minutes
Certificate: Available
Cost: 40 USD
Trenching & Excavation Safety in Construction
The excavation training by 360 Training is a good introduction to safe excavation practices. It highlights the importance of how soil classification can impact the safety measures needed to secure the excavation site. The course also goes over the personal protective equipment for excavation work. It can be completed online at any time of the day.
Created by: 360 Training
Length: 4 hours (self-paced)
Certificate: Available
Cost: 20 USD
Excavation and Trench Safety
This online training course from Hard Hat Training comes with a certificate of completion and a printable wallet card. It covers the safety practices, excavation requirements, protective systems, and other important information in OSHA Standard 1926 Subpart P. This course has a final exam, but it has reminders and short quizzes to help your team remember their new learnings.
Created by: Hard Hat Training
Length: 1.5 to 2 hours
Certificate: Available
Cost: 79 USD
A successful construction project is dependent on excavation work. It creates the foundation for the rest of the building and its supply lines. But, it’s one of the most dangerous operations due to the risk of cave-ins. There are many hazards present at an excavation site, but cave-ins are the most reported cause of accidents.
The U.S. Department of Labor recorded about 39 fatalities in 2022, which is nearly double those in 2021. In the same report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that from 2011 to 2018, an average of 21 deaths happened each year. This rise in accidents means that we need to start taking excavation safety seriously.
The best way to prevent these accidents from happening is by prepping your team with safety training. Excavation work must be done properly with inspections, implementation of shoring and shielding systems, and safety procedures to protect the lives of your team. Building the habit for these practices starts with learning how they work.
What is excavation training?
Excavation training teaches your team the OSHA standards for safe digging work, the best practices for stabilizing an excavation work site, and how to identify the warning signs of an accident. This goes for all types of excavations, including, but not limited to, trenching, cut and fill, dredging, and tunneling.
You can find these OSHA-approved standards and practices in the Code of Federal Regulations 29 CFR 1926 subpart P. Some essential topics include soil classification, sloping and benching, and the selection of protective systems. All of these pointers and practices help minimize the risk of cave-ins and other hazards.
Excavation training can be done through training by employers, on-site training, or through online training platforms that offer excavation courses. You may also want to check out other construction training courses to keep your team trained and protected throughout the building’s construction.
What are the objectives of excavation training?
The main objective of excavation training is for the trainee to be self-sufficient in carrying out and maintaining safe excavation work. They should know how to check the soil condition at the worksite, inspect the condition protective systems, and call out any signs of hazards like cracks in the soil, changes in soil, and bad weather. Everyone’s responsible for creating a safe excavation site.
Though it’s not required for your team to be certified, it’s highly recommended that they’re aware of the risks involved with excavation and the proper habits to avoid an accident. If your team isn’t trained in excavation and trenching safety, you’ll receive fines and violations from OSHA while endangering your team to cave-ins or trench collapses.
OSHA also requires that a competent person should always preview the site if it’s safe for work. Defined in OSHA Standard 1926.32(f), a competent person is someone who can properly identify if the worksite is dangerous to employees. They can prompt their employer to implement more protective measures to secure the worksite.
A certification isn’t required for a competent person, but experience and skill are. Both can be acquired by practicing the knowledge gained through excavation training programs. To create competent persons in your team and boost the safety of your worksite, it’s important to keep implementing excavation training. You can also improve your excavation training program with excavator training courses to create a safer excavation worksite on the surface.
Protect your team with excavation training programs
Excavation work is a necessary step for construction work. But, without the proper safety measures, it could be fatal for your team. Everyone should be trained and informed of the potential hazards, safety systems, and PPEs for excavation to remove the risk of cave-ins and other accidents.
Meet the task of training with gamification and microlearning. Use SC Training to level up your excavation training program. Sign up now to keep your excavation sites safe.