Abstract: Employee #1 and a coworker were installing a 8 in. diameter PVC sewer line in an approximately 3 ft wide by 12 ft long by 8 to 9 ft deep trench. The two men were working side by side when they noticed the west wall cracking. Employee #1 began to run south and the coworker ran north as 25 ft of the west wall collapsed into the excavation. The coworker became trapped from his abdomen down, but was rescued. Employee #1 was 10 ft shy of the end of the collapse when he was struck and buried by the falling wall. He died of asphyxia. Access into and egress from the excavation was made by traveling to the south end; there was no ladder provided, nor was any sort of ramp in use.