In trench excavations, a safe means of egress must be located at a depth of at least how many feet to limit lateral travel to 25 feet?

• A. 4
• B. 3
• C. 6
• D. 5

Answer: (A)

In trench safety, a safe means of egress is required when trenches reach four feet or deeper. The reason is to keep every worker within a manageable distance of an exit, specifically no more than 25 feet of travel along the trench to reach that exit. An exit can be a ladder, stair, or ramp that extends from the top to the bottom and is protected from collapse. This setup reduces the time and effort needed to escape if there’s a cave‑in or other hazard. Therefore, the minimum depth that triggers the requirement for an egress is four feet. If the trench is shallower than that, the requirement doesn’t apply, though having easy access to an exit is still good practice.