Safety Net Dispatch

Slope Sight

Selected slope referenceTYPE B

Selected reference, not a soil classification.

Not sure which reference to use?

Ask your competent person to confirm the soil classification and appropriate reference. The preselected Type B is a starting display, not a recommendation for your excavation.

Then use a side-on view and place the point at the bottom of the slope. For a photo, align the dashed line to a known vertical. If you cannot get that view or identify a vertical, do not guess the alignment.

Read slope limits & field checks ↓

View the slope side-on. Drag the point to the bottom.

Ready for a live view?

Tap Start camera below to begin.

CAMERA OFFReference · 1H : 1VVIEW UNCHECKEDROLL —
Capture check0 / 3

Add a camera view or photo, then complete all three checks.

Visual reference only · not a measurement

Camera and tilt access are requested when you start.

Photo details (optional)

Added to your next captured image. Details stay in this tab until you save or share a photo. Check them before each capture.

Adjust overlay
Custom angle & reference details

15°FROM HORIZONTAL90°

Ratio = horizontal : vertical. Presets show Appendix B simple-slope limits for excavations up to 20 ft under favorable conditions. Selecting a preset does not classify soil. Slope limits & field checks ↓

2Overlay shape
3Gravity reference
—WAITING

Tilt compensation follows your phone. Keep it upright and aim squarely at the slope.

How to position your view
Simple slope referenceVertical reference
Toe
Use a side-on slope profile.
Avoid looking along the excavation.
Two illustrative earth slopes: left, a side-on profile with a clear toe and crest; right, a view along an excavation with banks receding into the distance.
Side-on: the slope profile is visible.Looking along: perspective distorts the comparison.
AI-generated illustration of viewing direction, not a measured slope or an approved excavation design.

Looking along the excavation distorts the comparison. Keep the phone upright; tilt alignment does not correct perspective or camera pitch. Choose a view from a safe, accessible position.

Align the orange circle with the toe—the bottom of the slope. The lines show your selected reference; they do not detect or measure the soil face.

Slope limits & field checks OSHA Subpart P

Use these references with your competent person. The overlay compares a simple slope; it cannot determine soil type, depth, bench dimensions, or whether an excavation is safe to enter.

Know what the presets mean

Type A ¾:1, Type B 1:1, and Type C 1½:1 are maximum simple-slope limits for favorable conditions, not universal targets. The displayed degrees are calculated from these ratios; OSHA rounds its table to whole degrees.

These presets cover excavations 20 ft or less. Sloping or benching deeper than 20 ft requires a registered professional engineer’s design. The special short-term Type A exception is not included in the presets.

Appendix B, Table B-1 and Figure B-1 ↗

Soil type is a field determination

Under Appendix A, a competent person classifies soil using at least one visual and one manual analysis. A camera image cannot do this. Previously disturbed, fissured, or vibration-affected soil cannot be Type A. Changed conditions require evaluation and reclassification as necessary.

Appendix A, (b) and (c)(1)–(5) ↗

Conditions can require a flatter slope

Signs of distress require a slope at least ½H:1V flatter than the maximum allowable slope. With material, equipment, or traffic surcharge loads, the competent person determines the required reduction. Adjacent structures also need evaluation.

If an inspection identifies a hazardous condition, exposed employees must leave the hazardous area until necessary precautions have been taken.

Appendix B, (c)(3) ↗ · 1926.651(k)(2) ↗

A slope line does not check a bench

Bench heights, widths, soil conditions, and overall configurations must follow the applicable design. Appendix B’s Type B benching configurations apply to cohesive soil only; it provides no Type C benching configuration. Other permitted design options require their own supporting design or data.

Appendix B, Figure B-1 ↗ · OSHA benching interpretation ↗

Confirm the protective system

Employees need adequate cave-in protection unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock, or is less than 5 ft deep and a competent person finds no indication of a potential cave-in. A matching overlay does not establish compliance. Custom angles are user-set references, not OSHA-approved designs.

1926.652(a)–(b) ↗

Check more than the slope

  • Inspection: A competent person inspects before work each day, as needed during the shift, and after rainstorms or other hazard-increasing events when employee exposure can reasonably be anticipated.
  • Access: Trench excavations 4 ft or deeper need safe egress within 25 ft of lateral travel.
  • Edge protection: Keep materials or equipment that could fall or roll in at least 2 ft back, use adequate retaining devices, or both.
  • Other hazards: Address underground utilities, water accumulation, hazardous atmospheres, and adjacent structures.

1926.651(b), (c)(2), (g)–(k) ↗

Selected federal OSHA guidance, checked September 8, 2026. This is a summary, not the full standard or an inspection checklist. Reference text is included in this file; official-source links need internet access.