Abstract: Two workers were in a 7 1/2 ft deep by 30 ft long trench that was 24 in. wide at the bottom and 42 in. wide at the top. The soil was hard to compact. The workers were landing stones that were being dumped in the bottom of the ditch by a Caterpillar 960 rubber-tired loader. The ground was very damp and several inches of snow had fallen that day. Employee #1, the foreman, walked into an area where the bank was cracked and started to level a pile of stones. The two workers cautioned him about the area, but did not stop him. The bank on the west side of the trench broke away, striking Employee #1 with about 2 tons of earth and burying him up to his neck. One of his ribs punctured his heart, killing him. The trench was neither shored nor properly sloped. The loader routinely came within 4 to 6 ft of the edge of the ditch when dumping stones.