An excavation is any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth surface formed by removal of earth. A trench is a cut in the earth that is deeper than its width, but is not wider than 15 feet. Both excavations and trenches are equally dangerous and require workers to be properly protected. General Safety has developed an excavation permit that must be filled out completely prior to performing any trenching or excavation work. The General Safety program lists specifies practices and guidelines for the safety of Georgia Tech employees while performing excavation and trenching.