Excavated soil (spoil pile) and other materials must be kept at least how far from the edge of a trench?

Explanation

Section 1541(j)(2) requires excavated material and equipment to be kept at least 2 feet from the edge, OR held by retaining devices sufficient to stop them falling or rolling in, or by a combination of both. The alternative in the rule tells you what the setback is for: the spoil is a striking hazard AND a surcharge load whose weight presses down on the very wall it sits on, which is why a retaining device is an acceptable substitute for distance and why a berm of spoil is never a protective system. Six inches and one foot are too close to answer either problem. Four feet exceeds what the standard asks and is the figure a candidate reaches for by confusing the setback with a sloping offset.