Massachusetts General Laws
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, § 129A (2026)
Shoring trenches for local governments; graves excepted
✓ text as last checked Sept. 2026 (this copy records no edition or section history)
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Section 129A. On any construction project carried on by any city, town, county or other subdivision of the commonwealth in which a trench is to be dug to a depth of five feet or more, except a trench for laying of water pipes dug to a depth of six and one-half feet which will be open less than forty-eight hours, such trench shall be shored and braced in conformity with the rules and regulations for the prevention of accidents in construction operations, as adopted and enforced by the attorney general. This section shall not apply to the digging of graves.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1
case, 1976–1976 · leading case: Paccia's Case, 351 N.E.2d 546 (Mass. App. Ct. 1976).
Paccia's Case, 351 N.E.2d 546 (Mass. App. Ct. 1976). “As we read the single member’s findings, the serious and wilful misconduct found by him consisted of the crew foreman’s ordering the employees into the trench without taking the precaution of shoring, contrary to the instructions of the general foreman of the water department…”
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