Abstract: On June 26, 1994, Employee #1, a plumber, was installing a 4-inch PVC sewer pipe for a new lateral hookup for a private residence. The main section of the trench was 95 feet long and varied in depth from 3 1/2 to 11 feet deep. Employee #1 was working at a depth of approximately 8 feet in the trench. Another worker, a subcontractor, was excavating with a CASE 580C backhoe equipped with an extendahoe; the bucket was 20 inches wide. The trench was also 20 inches wide with vertical walls and no protective system. The other worker got out of his backhoe, and when he turned around he noticed that an 8-foot long section of the trench had caved in on Employee #1, who was not visible. Rescue attempts by police, fire, and EMTs were unsuccessful. The cause of death was reported as thoracic injuries with compression-asphyxia.