It’s simple. So every one goes home at night… But simple does not make it easy. The truth is, every time a trench is opened the risks multiply. From underground utilities, unstable soil, flowing water, hazardous vibrations, to adjacent loads the risks multiply so much the federal government mandated that after a depth of 5′ a protective system must be put in place. Trench boxes are by far the simplest and easiest protective system. After 18 years in the shoring industry the stories seem to have a similar start to them. “I was in a cave-in once.” In fact, during my talks on excavation safety, I commonly ask, “Of the workers here, the men in the trenches, how many have been in a cave-in?” It is always around 30%. When selecting a trench box there are many things to keep in mind, such as transport, assembly time, weight, depth rating, and pipe clearance. And always keep in mind you will never find one box that will work for every excavation which is why we carry boxes ranging from 160 to 12,000 lbs.