Excavations of five feet or greater depth require trench safety systems.

• A. Trench safety systems in place
• B. Ladders or Steps Within 2 Ft of Workers
• C. Shoring only
• D. Guard rails

Answer: (A)

When a trench is five feet deep or more, workers must be protected from cave-ins with a trench safety system installed before anyone enters. This protective system can be sloping, shoring, or shielding—any approved method that keeps the trench from collapsing. Saying that trench safety systems are in place directly reflects that requirement: the system must be present and ready before entry.

The other options don’t capture the full requirement. Ladders or steps within two feet doesn’t match the actual access rule (you need access within a reasonable distance, typically about 25 feet, not 2 feet). Limiting to shoring only ignores other acceptable protective methods like sloping or shielding. Guard rails aren’t used to protect trenches and don’t prevent cave-ins.