Abstract: At approximately 1:50 p.m. on July 10, 1987, Employee #1, age 18, and a coworker were laying 18 in. PVC pipe in a 14 ft deep by 72 ft long trench. It was 8 ft wide at the top , with a 3 ft 9 in. box cut and a 1 1/2 to 2 ft ledge, and 2 ft wide to the bottom. The walls were vertical and not shored. When the east wall started to cave in, the coworker ran out of the south end near an Hitachi backhoe. Employee #1 ran toward the north end, but was buried to his waist with dirt. Coworkers tried to dig him out using the backhoe, but the wall caved in again and completely buried him. Employee #1 was killed. No exit ladder or steps had been provided.