Abstract: AT 8:30 AM ON JANUARY 21, 1987, EMPLOYEE #1, A LABORER, WAS SETTING SEWER PIPE IN A TRENCH. THE TRENCH WAS APPROXIMATELY 14 FEET DEEP, 4 FEET WIDE AT THE BOTTOM AND 10 FEET WIDE AT THE TOP. THE EMPLOYEE WOULD UNHOOK THE SEWER PIPE AFTER IT HAD BEEN LOWERED INTO THE TRENCH, LEVEL AND ALIGN IT. AS HE FINISHED THE FOURTH SECTION OF PIPE AND PREPARED TO LEAVE THE TRENCH THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE TRENCH WALL COLLAPSED ONTO HIM. OTHER EMPLOYEES MANAGED TO CLEAR HIS HEAD BY THE TIME THE PARAMEDICS ARRIVED. WHEN THE PARAMEDICS AND FIREMEN ARRIVED THE OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE PULLED FROM THE SITE FOR INTERVIEWS. DURING THE RECOVERY OPERATION THE TRENCH COLLAPSED TWICE MORE, EVEN THOUGH PARTIAL SHORING HAD BEEN INSTALLED. WHEN THE BODY WAS UNCOVERED (AFTER 5 HOURS), IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PRY BAR THE EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN USING TO ALIGN THE PIPE SECTIONS HAD STRUCK HIS LOWER JAW. THE TRAUMA FROM THAT BLOW WAS THE APPARENT CAUSE OF DEATH. CITATIONS WERE RECOMMENDED FOR NOT SLOPING OR SHORING (OR PROVIDING EQIVALENT PROTECTION), A LACK OF TRAINING AND A DEFECTIVE TRENCH BOX.