CSLB C-8 Concrete (Trade Exam) — All Questions

Which document must accompany every load of ready-mixed concrete delivered to a Caltrans-type job?

• a.A weighmaster certificate, commonly called the concrete ticket✓
• b.A batch-plant inspection report signed by the project engineer
• c.The 811 ticket number for the delivery address
• d.A manufacturer's certificate of compliance for the cement alone

The weighmaster certificate (concrete ticket) travels with each load, and its quantities are compared with the mix design. A certificate of compliance for one material does not replace it, and material that does not meet the contract can be rejected even with one. A plant inspection report is not the delivery document, and the 811 number belongs to excavation, not delivery.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 5

Under Caltrans guidance, what is the lowest temperature mixed concrete may have immediately before it is placed?

• a.32 °F
• b.50 °F✓
• c.60 °F
• d.40 °F

Caltrans checks that mixed concrete is between 50 °F and 90 °F just before placing, so 50 °F is the floor. 32 °F is the freezing point, which is far too cold for placing. 40 °F appears later as a curing-period minimum, not a placing limit. 60 °F is not a stated limit and would reject acceptable loads.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 5

As a starting estimate when planning deliveries, what is the longest gap Caltrans suggests between concrete trucks?

• a.About 5 minutes
• b.About 90 minutes
• c.About 45 minutes
• d.About 20 minutes✓

The interval between deliveries should not exceed about 20 minutes so that fresh concrete is still plastic when the next load is placed against it and cold joints are avoided. 5 minutes is not a limit and would stack trucks on site. 45 and 90 minutes would let earlier concrete begin to set.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 5

Caltrans gives a typical placing rate for a crane-and-bucket operation of about how many cubic yards per hour per crane?

• a.20 to 30✓
• b.5 to 10
• c.100 to 120
• d.65 to 80

A crane and bucket typically places about 20 to 30 cubic yards per hour per crane. 5 to 10 is below the stated rate. 65 is the figure given for belt conveyors, and 100 is the pumping rate described as easily attainable.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 5

How are concrete and bar reinforcing steel usually paid for on public work?

• a.Together as a single unit price per cubic yard
• b.By the pound of steel, with concrete included
• c.As separate pay items, one for each material✓
• d.After the 28-day cylinders have been broken

Concrete and rebar are usually separate pay items, which is why the average pounds of rebar per cubic yard (the rebar factor) is worked out. A combined unit price, steel-only pay, and payment tied to cylinder breaks are not how the items are described.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 2

Which two documents are the primary components of the contract documents on a Caltrans job?

• a.The Standard Plans and the weighmaster tickets
• b.The pre-pour meeting notes and the mix design
• c.The contract specifications and the project plans✓
• d.The bar lists and the concrete delivery schedule

Specifications and project plans are the primary components of the contract. The Standard Plans are contractual supplements to the plans, not one of the two primary parts. Meeting notes, mix designs, bar lists and delivery schedules are working documents that follow from the contract.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 2

During a preliminary review of project plans, which item is a typical flag for something that could complicate the work?

• a.Dimensions given along horizontal and vertical planes
• b.One mix design allowed for several concrete types
• c.Congestion of reinforcing steel✓
• d.A 28-day strength shown in the General Notes

Rebar congestion, along with added embeds and blockouts, can make placing and vibrating hard and is worth catching early. Strength in the General Notes, a single mix design that meets every requirement, and dimensions along vertical and horizontal planes are all normal plan features.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 2

What minimum experience does California's license law require of a contractor-license applicant in the class applied for?

• a.Four years as a journeyman, foreman or supervising employee✓
• b.Two years of general labor on any type of construction job
• c.Six years as a licensed contractor in any class of work
• d.One year of supervised work plus a trade-school diploma

The law requires not less than four years' experience in the particular class at journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor level. Two years as a general laborer and one year with a diploma fall short, and six years in any class is neither required nor class-specific.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 16, §825 (as printed in the 2026 CSLB Law Book)

How far ahead of digging may an excavator make the first call to the regional notification center, at most?

• a.28 calendar days
• b.7 calendar days
• c.21 calendar days
• d.14 calendar days✓

Notice is due at least two working days and not more than 14 calendar days before the excavation starts. 7 and 21 days are not the limits, and 28 days is how long the ticket stays valid, not how early the call may be made.2026 CSLB Contractors License Law & Reference Book (Underground Service Alert)

At the site, how does an excavator mark the boundaries of the work area for the 811 process?

• a.Outline it, usually with white paint✓
• b.Hammer a stake with the ticket number at each corner
• c.Spray each utility color along the planned trench
• d.Leave it unmarked until the operators arrive

The excavator clearly marks the boundaries of the work area, usually with white paint, and operators then mark their lines inside those boundaries. Ticket stakes are not the standard marking, operators need the boundary to know where to mark, and the utility colors are the operators' marks, not the excavator's.2026 CSLB Contractors License Law & Reference Book (Underground Service Alert)

What is the maximum fine for knowingly and willfully violating the state 811 excavation law?

• a.$10,000
• b.$1,000
• c.$50,000✓
• d.$100,000

A knowing and willful violation carries a fine not to exceed $50,000. $10,000 is the cap for a negligent violation, and $1,000 and $100,000 are not the stated amounts.2026 CSLB Contractors License Law & Reference Book (Gov. Code §§4216–4216.9)

After discovering or causing damage to a buried line, within what time must the excavator notify the regional notification center?

• a.7 calendar days
• b.48 hours✓
• c.72 hours
• d.24 hours

An excavator must notify the regional notification center within 48 hours of discovering or causing damage. 24 and 72 hours are not the stated period, and 7 days is far too long.2026 CSLB Contractors License Law & Reference Book (Underground Service Alert)

A job disturbs 0.6 acre, but it is one phase of a larger common plan that disturbs 4 acres in total. What does the State Water Board require?

• a.No coverage, because this phase alone is under one acre
• b.Coverage depends on the site draining straight to a creek or river
• c.Coverage depends on whether it rains while the work is under way
• d.Coverage is still required, because the full project exceeds one acre✓

Projects under one acre are still covered when they are part of a larger common plan of development that disturbs one acre or more in total. Counting only this phase ignores the common plan, and neither rain timing nor a creek is the test.State Water Resources Control Board, Construction Stormwater Program

A massive foundation must keep heat low while it hardens. Which portland cement type is designed for low heat of hydration?

• a.Type IV✓
• b.Type V
• c.Type II
• d.Type III

Type IV is the low-heat cement. Type III is high early strength and generates more heat, Type V is for high sulfate resistance, and Type II is for moderate sulfate resistance.IMCP Manual for Concrete Pavement, 2nd ed. (FHWA/CP Tech Center, 2019)

An ASTM C494 water-reducing admixture (Type A) is added to a mix. About how much does it cut the mixing water while holding the slump?

• a.1% to 2%
• b.40% to 50%
• c.5% to 10%✓
• d.12% to 30%

A normal water reducer lowers water content by about 5% to 10% at the same slump. 12% to 30% is the high-range water reducer, and 1% to 2% and 40% to 50% are not figures given for either.IMCP Manual for Concrete Pavement, 2nd ed. (FHWA/CP Tech Center, 2019)

Why does a slab usually need reinforcing steel, given how concrete behaves?

• a.Only about one-tenth as strong in tension as in compression✓
• b.It is about half as strong in tension as in compression
• c.Its compressive strength falls sharply as it cures over time
• d.Steel is needed only to give the slab enough dead weight

Concrete is strong in compression and weak in tension, about one-tenth as strong, so steel carries the tension. Its compressive strength rises with curing rather than falling, a one-half ratio overstates its tensile strength, and steel is not added for weight.IMCP Manual for Concrete Pavement, 2nd ed. (FHWA/CP Tech Center, 2019)

Under the City of Los Angeles general notes for a single-family dwelling, how deep must footings be below natural and finished grade?

• a.At least 24 inches for exterior and 18 inches for interior footings✓
• b.At least 18 inches for exterior and 24 inches for interior footings
• c.At least 12 inches for both exterior and interior footings
• d.At least 36 inches for exterior and 30 inches for interior footings

The notes set not less than 24 inches for exterior footings and 18 inches for interior footings. Reversing them, using a flat 12 inches, and using 36 and 30 inches do not match the stated minimums.LADBS Information Bulletin P/GI 2026-022 (general notes, single-family dwelling)

The same Los Angeles general notes say adverse soil conditions found during construction may call for what?

• a.A change of cement type at the plant
• b.A new 811 ticket for the site
• c.A second stormwater permit
• d.A soils investigation report✓

If adverse soil conditions are encountered, a soils investigation report may be required. A new 811 ticket concerns utilities, a second stormwater permit concerns runoff, and the cement type does not address bearing soil.LADBS Information Bulletin P/GI 2026-022 (general notes, single-family dwelling)

The Los Angeles general notes cite the California Green Building Standards Code for construction and demolition waste. What share of nonhazardous waste must be recycled or salvaged?

• a.At least 25 percent
• b.At least 95 percent
• c.At least 65 percent✓
• d.At least 50 percent

A minimum of 65 percent of nonhazardous construction and demolition waste must be recycled or salvaged. 25 and 50 percent fall short of the stated minimum, and 95 percent is more than the requirement.LADBS Information Bulletin P/GI 2026-022 (general notes, single-family dwelling)

What must be on a Cal/OSHA excavation permit for it to be valid?

• a.The soil type and the lay-back angle to be used
• b.The county parcel number of the project site
• c.The excavator's 811 ticket identification number✓
• d.A signature from each affected utility operator

A permit is not valid without the Underground Service Alert (811) identification number. Soil type and lay-back angle, a parcel number, and operator signatures are not what validates it.2026 CSLB Contractors License Law & Reference Book (excavation permit note)

An L-shaped slab is made of a 40 ft by 24 ft section plus a 16 ft by 12 ft wing, all 4 in thick. About how much concrete does it hold?

• a.About 21.3 cubic yards
• b.About 14.2 cubic yards✓
• c.About 11.9 cubic yards
• d.About 42.7 cubic yards

Total area is 960 + 192 = 1152 sq ft; × 0.333 ft = 384 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 14.2 cu yd. Leaving out the wing gives 11.9, dividing by 9 instead of 27 gives 42.7, and using 6 in gives 21.3.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A stoop is 4 ft by 6 ft and 6 in thick. About how much concrete does it hold?

• a.About 0.2 cubic yard
• b.About 0.9 cubic yard
• c.About 1.3 cubic yards
• d.About 0.4 cubic yard✓

4 × 6 = 24 sq ft; × 0.5 ft = 12 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 0.44 cu yd. Dividing by 9 gives 1.3, using 12 in of thickness gives 0.9, and using 3 in gives 0.2.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A round pad has a 15-ft radius and is 5 in thick. About how much concrete does it take?

• a.About 43.6 cubic yards
• b.About 8.7 cubic yards
• c.About 32.7 cubic yards
• d.About 10.9 cubic yards✓

Area = π × 15² = 706.9 sq ft; × 5/12 ft = 294.5 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 10.9 cu yd. Using the 30-ft diameter as the radius gives 43.6, dividing by 9 gives 32.7, and using 4 in gives 8.7.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A takeoff comes to 18.6 cubic yards. The supplier sells whole yards and the owner wants a 5% allowance for waste. How many yards should be ordered?

• a.18 cubic yards
• b.21 cubic yards
• c.20 cubic yards✓
• d.19 cubic yards

18.6 × 1.05 = 19.53, which rounds up to 20 because the order must cover the pour. Rounding down to 19 leaves the pour short, 18 ignores the waste allowance, and 21 comes from adding about 10% instead of 5%.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A 52-cubic-yard pour will arrive in trucks that each carry 8.5 cubic yards. How many truckloads must be ordered?

• a.6 loads
• b.5 loads
• c.8 loads
• d.7 loads✓

52 ÷ 8.5 = 6.1, and the last partial load still needs a truck, so 7 loads. Rounding down to 6 leaves 1 cu yd unplaced, 8 over-orders a whole truck, and 5 divides by 10 cu yd, which is not the truck size.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A sidewalk is 4 ft wide and 4 in thick. About how many linear feet does one cubic yard of concrete cover?

• a.About 81 linear feet
• b.About 20 linear feet✓
• c.About 27 linear feet
• d.About 6.8 linear feet

The cross-section is 4 ft × 0.333 ft = 1.33 sq ft, so 27 cu ft ÷ 1.33 sq ft = 20.25 linear feet. 81 is the square-foot coverage at 4 in, not a length for a 4-ft-wide walk, 6.8 divides 27 by the width and ignores the thickness, and 27 treats cubic feet as feet.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

Ten square footing pads are each 3 ft on a side and 18 in deep. How much concrete do they need in all?

• a.About 6.7 cubic yards
• b.About 5.0 cubic yards✓
• c.About 3.3 cubic yards
• d.About 15.0 cubic yards

Each pad is 3 × 3 × 1.5 = 13.5 cu ft; × 10 = 135 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 5.0 cu yd. Dividing by 9 gives 15.0, using 12 in of depth gives 3.3, and using 24 in gives 6.7.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A takeoff shows 1,250 linear feet of #4 bar, which a supplier sheet lists at 0.668 lb per foot. What is the total weight?

• a.About 835 pounds✓
• b.About 1,250 pounds
• c.About 1,871 pounds
• d.About 84 pounds

1,250 ft × 0.668 lb/ft = 835 lb. Dividing by 0.668 gives 1,871, a slipped decimal gives 84, and 1,250 is just the length with no weight conversion.Estimating practice (bar weight from supplier data)

Bars run at 16 in on center across a 20-ft width, with a bar on each edge line. How many bars are needed in that direction?

• a.15
• b.20
• c.16✓
• d.18

20 ft = 240 in; 240 ÷ 16 = 15 spaces; bars = spaces + 1 = 16. Answering 15 counts spaces instead of bars, 18 uses a spacing near 14 in, and 20 assumes one bar per foot.Estimating practice (bar count)

Under the Caltrans rule of 45 bar diameters for uncoated Grade 60 bars of #8 and smaller, what is the minimum lap for a #8 bar?

• a.60 inches
• b.36 inches
• c.24 inches
• d.45 inches✓

A #8 bar is 8/8 = 1.0 in in diameter, so 45 × 1.0 = 45 in. 60 inches applies the 60-diameter rule meant for #9, #10 and #11 bars, while 36 and 24 inches are shorter than the rule allows.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 4

A 40-ft by 60-ft slab is 6 in thick. How many square feet of contact area do its perimeter edge forms need?

• a.50 square feet
• b.100 square feet✓
• c.200 square feet
• d.2,400 square feet

The perimeter is 2 × (40 + 60) = 200 ft; × 0.5 ft of height = 100 sq ft. 200 treats the edge as 1 ft high, 50 uses only half the perimeter, and 2,400 is the slab's top area, not the edge area.Estimating practice (form contact area)

A footing is 100 ft long and 18 in deep and will be formed on both sides. How much form contact area is that, ignoring ends?

• a.600 square feet
• b.300 square feet✓
• c.200 square feet
• d.150 square feet

Each side is 100 × 1.5 = 150 sq ft; two sides = 300 sq ft. 150 forms only one side, 600 uses 3 ft of depth, and 200 uses a 12-in depth on both sides.Estimating practice (form contact area)

Plywood sheets are 4 ft by 8 ft. How many whole sheets are needed to cover 300 square feet of form contact area, with no waste allowance?

• a.38 sheets
• b.9 sheets
• c.75 sheets
• d.10 sheets✓

Each sheet covers 32 sq ft; 300 ÷ 32 = 9.4, so 10 whole sheets are needed. 9 sheets leave part of the area uncovered, 38 divides by 8 and 75 divides by 4, which are single dimensions, not the sheet area.Estimating practice (sheet count)

A crew of 3 finishers each finishes about 150 square feet per hour. About how many hours will they need for 1,800 square feet?

• a.4 hours✓
• b.12 hours
• c.36 hours
• d.6 hours

1,800 ÷ 150 = 12 worker-hours; ÷ 3 finishers = 4 hours on the clock. 12 hours forgets to split the work across the crew, 36 multiplies by crew size instead of dividing, and 6 assumes only two finishers.Estimating practice (labor productivity)

A 6.5-cubic-yard order costs $185 per yard, plus a $90 short-load fee and a $650 pump charge. What is the total?

• a.$2,032.50
• b.$1,852.50
• c.$1,292.50
• d.$1,942.50✓

6.5 × 185 = $1,202.50; + 90 + 650 = $1,942.50. $1,852.50 leaves out the short-load fee, $1,292.50 leaves out the pump charge, and $2,032.50 counts the short-load fee twice.Estimating practice (cost takeoff)

A 24-ft by 30-ft pad needs a 6-in compacted base. About how many cubic yards of base is that?

• a.About 26.7 cubic yards
• b.About 40.0 cubic yards
• c.About 13.3 cubic yards✓
• d.About 8.9 cubic yards

24 × 30 = 720 sq ft; × 0.5 ft = 360 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 13.3 cu yd. Dividing by 9 gives 40.0, using 4 in gives 8.9, and using 12 in gives 26.7.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A takeoff gives 4.5 cubic yards of concrete. How many cubic feet is that?

• a.121.5 cubic feet✓
• b.13.5 cubic feet
• c.40.5 cubic feet
• d.0.17 cubic feet

One cubic yard is 27 cu ft exactly, so 4.5 × 27 = 121.5 cu ft. 13.5 multiplies by 3 (feet in a yard), 40.5 multiplies by 9 (sq ft in a sq yd), and 0.17 divides instead of multiplying.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A grading plan shows 2.5 acres of disturbed soil. How many square feet is that?

• a.1,089,000 square feet
• b.108,900 square feet✓
• c.87,120 square feet
• d.17,424 square feet

One acre is exactly 43,560 sq ft, so 2.5 × 43,560 = 108,900. 87,120 is only two acres, 17,424 divides by 2.5 instead of multiplying, and 1,089,000 slips a decimal place.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

A pump places concrete at 100 cubic yards per hour, a rate Caltrans calls easily attainable. About how long does an 85-cubic-yard pour take at that rate?

• a.3 hours 24 minutes
• b.8 hours 30 minutes
• c.85 minutes
• d.51 minutes✓

85 ÷ 100 = 0.85 hr, which is 51 minutes. 85 minutes treats yards per hour as yards per minute, 3 h 24 min uses the 25 cu yd per hour crane-and-bucket rate, and 8 h 30 min uses 10 cu yd per hour.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 5

A wall is 8 in thick, 4 ft high and 50 ft long. About how much concrete does it hold?

• a.About 3.7 cubic yards
• b.About 7.4 cubic yards
• c.About 4.9 cubic yards✓
• d.About 14.8 cubic yards

8 in = 0.667 ft; 0.667 × 4 × 50 = 133.3 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 4.9 cu yd. Dividing by 9 gives 14.8, using 6 in gives 3.7, and using 12 in gives 7.4.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

On a public job the rebar factor is 180 pounds per cubic yard. About how much steel belongs with a 25-cubic-yard element?

• a.2.25 tons✓
• b.0.14 tons
• c.4.5 tons
• d.22.5 tons

25 × 180 = 4,500 lb; ÷ 2,000 lb per ton = 2.25 tons. 4.5 divides by 1,000 as if it were a metric ton, 0.14 divides cubic yards by the factor, and 22.5 slips a decimal place.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 2

Eight round columns are each 16 in in diameter and 9 ft tall. About how much concrete do they take in all?

• a.About 11.2 cubic yards
• b.About 2.1 cubic yards
• c.About 3.7 cubic yards✓
• d.About 14.9 cubic yards

Radius = 8 in = 0.667 ft; area = π × 0.667² = 1.396 sq ft; × 9 ft = 12.57 cu ft each; × 8 = 100.5 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 3.7 cu yd. Using the 16-in diameter as the radius gives 14.9, dividing by 9 gives 11.2, and using a 12-in diameter gives 2.1.NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C

Why are steel drum rollers not recommended for proof-rolling a prepared subgrade?

• a.They are too light to find any weak spot at all
• b.They leave the grade too smooth for good slab bonding
• c.They tend to crush buried pipes and conduits in the grade
• d.They can bridge soft spots without movement✓

Proof-rolling uses a heavy, pneumatic-tired vehicle because a rigid steel drum can bridge soft spots without rutting. Weight is not the issue, buried pipes are not the stated concern, and surface smoothness is unrelated to proof-rolling.IMCP Manual for Concrete Pavement, 2nd ed. (FHWA/CP Tech Center, 2019)

For long-term slab and pavement performance, which subgrade quality is described as more important than strength?

• a.A smooth, hand-troweled surface
• b.Uniformity, with no hard or soft spots✓
• c.Maximum stiffness at the highest cost
• d.A high percentage of clay particles

The guidance is that a uniform foundation matters more than a strong one, with no hard or soft spots. Stiffness alone does not fix nonuniform support, a smooth surface is not a performance measure, and clay content does not give uniformity.IMCP Manual for Concrete Pavement, 2nd ed. (FHWA/CP Tech Center, 2019)

A crew wants to place a slab on a subgrade that has not thawed. What does Caltrans say?

• a.Allowed if an accelerator is added to the mix
• b.Allowed if warm concrete is delivered to the pour
• c.Expressly prohibited on frozen subgrade✓
• d.Allowed if the slab is thicker than 6 inches

The specification explicitly prohibits placing concrete on frozen or ice-coated ground or subgrade. Warm concrete, an accelerator, and extra thickness do not remove the problem of thawing, settling support.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 5

A large amount of water has collected at the bottom of a footing excavation before the pour. Where does Caltrans suggest the pump be placed?

• a.Beside the truck, with dry cement spread on the water
• b.At the middle of the footing, with the bottom left level
• c.In a corner, with the excavation bottom sloped toward it✓
• d.Nowhere, since the incoming concrete displaces the water

Standing water must be removed, and sloping the bottom to a corner lets the sump collect it for the pump. Pumping from the middle leaves water pooled around the edges, concrete does not safely displace water, and dry cement on water makes a weak, contaminated base.Caltrans Reinforced Concrete Construction Manual (June 2025), ch. 5

Under the federal guide specification, what must be done before slabs on ground are built?

• a.The next floor's reinforcing must be delivered to the site
• b.Buried pipe and conduit work must be done and approved✓
• c.The footing forms must be fully stripped and cleaned out
• d.The vapor retarder must be allowed to cure for seven days

Underground work on pipes and conduits is completed and approved first, since it is buried under the slab. A vapor retarder does not cure, next-floor steel is unrelated, and footing forms are not tied to the slab sequence.UFGS 03 30 00 Cast-in-Place Concrete (Chg 10, Aug 2025)

Which of these is exempt from the state 811 notification requirement?

• a.A non-contractor homeowner doing permit-free work on a principal residence✓
• b.A rental company whose signed rental agreement lacks the required clause
• c.A licensed contractor digging only a shallow trench for a patio slab
• d.A subcontractor digging footings under a general contractor's ticket

A private owner who is not a licensed contractor and does work on a principal residence that needs no excavation permit is exempt. Every contractor or subcontractor excavating at a jobsite needs its own ticket, a licensed contractor is not exempt because the trench is shallow, and a rental company is exempt only if its signed rental agreement carries the required provision.2026 CSLB Law Book (Underground Service Alert)

How far from the edge of an excavation must excavated material and equipment be kept, at minimum?

• a.10 feet
• b.5 feet
• c.6 inches
• d.2 feet✓

Title 8 requires spoil and equipment to be kept at least 2 feet from the edge. 6 inches is too close to prevent loading the wall, while 5 and 10 feet are not the stated minimum.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, §1541

Who must make the daily inspections of excavations, adjacent areas and protective systems?

• a.Any laborer working nearby
• b.The utility operator
• c.The ready-mix driver
• d.A competent person✓

Daily inspections are the competent person's job, someone able to identify hazards and authorized to correct them. The operator marks lines, a driver does not inspect trenches, and a laborer may lack the training and authority.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, §1541