Excavation and trenching - New Jersey

New Jersey operates an OSHA-approved State Plan covering only state and local government workers. Private sector employers and their workers are covered by federal OSHA.

The New Jersey Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) State Plan is part of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDLWD).

Underground installations

The State of New Jersey requires that the location of underground installations (e.g., sewer, telephone, electrical, fuel, natural gas, water and other lines, as well as underground tanks) must be identified and marked out prior to work that involves any digging operation. The laws and regulations governing excavator notice of intent to excavate, the New Jersey One-Call System’s notice to operators of underground installations, and the location and marking of installation by operators is found N.J. Stat. §§ 48:2-73 to 42:2-91 and N.J.A.C. 14:2-1.1 to 14:2-6.10.

Support of party walls adjacent to excavations

Whenever an excavation is intended to be deeper than eight feet below the curb or grade of the street, and there is a party or other wall, wholly or partly adjoining, and standing upon or near the boundary line, the person causing the excavations must preserve, at his own expense, the party or other wall from injury, and support it by a proper foundation so that it remains as stable as before the excavations began.