The embodiments described herein include rapid change vertical shore used in the trench safety industry. Particular embodiments facilitate a rapid change between a single cylinder vertical shore and a double cylinder vertical shore.

A trench box assembly including a trench box and an end cap assembly extending outwardly beyond an end of the trench box. The trench box has two metal plates and spreader bars extending between the plates. The end cap assembly includes a housing and an attachment mechanism. The housing has a first side wall, a second side wall, a top wall, and a back wall which bound and define an interior chamber of a size suitable to receive at least part of a worker's body therein. The attachment mechanism includes attachment hooks which adjustably engage the housing to the spreader bars. When the trench box assembly is installed within a trench the end cap assembly protects a worker performing a task proximate one end of the trench box from being injured by debris falling into a region of the trench adjacent the end of the trench box.