To ensure there are no voids or high spots in the bedding of a trench, the operator should use _________.

• A. A leveling board
• B. A chalk line
• C. A string line
• D. A shovel

Answer: (A)

Ensuring a trench bedding is flat and uniform comes down to using a straight edge to reveal and correct any unevenness. A leveling board provides a rigid, straight edge you can lay across the trench bed to check for hollows or high spots and to strike off or add material until the entire bed sits at a consistent elevation. This smooth, even surface is essential to support the pipe evenly and prevent voids that could cause settlement or stress. Chalk lines and string lines are mainly for marking alignment or reference points, not for flattening or verifying bed level. A shovel moves material but doesn’t guarantee an even, continuous bed, so it’s easy to miss low areas or high spots without a leveling board guiding the process.