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Practice test · Excavation & Trenching

Excavation & Trenching Practice Test

Twenty-five questions on excavation and trenching under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, with every answer traced to the paragraph it comes from — when a protective system is required and the only two exceptions, how soil gets classified by a competent person, the maximum allowable slopes in Table B-1, the difference between shoring and shielding, the way out at 4 feet, the 2-foot spoil setback, water in the trench, atmospheric testing, and the daily inspection. Questions state whether they are asking about a trench or any excavation, because Subpart P does not always treat them the same. This is a review tool: the training and the competent person your employer owes you are still required.

25 questions about 20 min

Not OSHA-authorized training. SteelToeTools is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by OSHA or the U.S. Department of Labor. This free educational content does not satisfy any OSHA or other regulatory training requirement, and no card, certificate, or credential is issued. Only OSHA-authorized trainers can deliver OSHA Outreach Training (10-Hour and 30-Hour) and issue DOL cards. Always follow your employer's training program and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

Frequently asked questions

No. There is no federal OSHA excavation test, and no card is issued for passing anything here. This is a free study aid. Competent person duties under Subpart P require knowledge, experience and authority that only your employer can assign.

No. 1926.650(b) defines a competent person as someone capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and authorized to take prompt corrective measures. That is a designation your employer makes, based on training and experience — not a quiz result.

Subpart P is the construction standard, 29 CFR 1926. General industry excavation work is commonly performed under construction rules when it meets the definition of construction work; where a question could be read either way, the stem says which standard it is asking about.

Every explanation cites the paragraph of Subpart P it comes from, checked against the public text on osha.gov in August 2026, including the Appendix A soil classification text as amended at 85 FR 8737 (February 18, 2020).

The 70% shown here is informational only. On excavation work the questions you miss matter more than the score: a wrong answer on soil type, slope or egress is the kind of mistake that buries somebody.

Sources & references

Content checked against these sources — last reviewed August 28, 2026.

By — Editorial team of SteelToeTools.com (published by LSEA SAS) Updated