This is a question for some of the more experienced , or not so experienced , privy diggers out there. As a Lineman for the county , so to speak , I am often trenching in new service cable for electrical services . The Industry being what it is today , I am often taking courses on safe trenching which includes learning about soil types . compaction , and when it is safe to go into a trench as the forces and weight can kill a man quite easily in the right conditions . I have had no experience digging privies so I do not know whether they were shored up regularly or not. Have there been privies which you have walked away from due to instability? How would you shore one up if it needed to be shored up ? At work , if its over 3' deep we have to use a trench cage or open it up by 45 degrees so that the straight depth is back down to 3'. Just curious as most of the digs I have watched on you tube looked quite deep and confining.I look forward to your comments.Thx