Abstract: At approximately 11:00 p.m. on September 16, 2005, Employee #1 and another employee, a combination backhoe/loader operator, were installing a new manhole cap on an existing storm sewer manhole. While removing the old manhole cap, dirt fell into the open manhole. Before fitting the new manhole cap, the employees had to remove the dirt that fell into the manhole. Employee #1 positioned himself next to the manhole to direct the other employee operating the backhoe. The employees wanted to position the backhoe bucket to use it to remove the dirt. As the backhoe operator brought the bucket towards the manhole, the bucket struck Employee #1. Employee was hospitalized with a bruised liver. The backhoe was a Construction King Combination Backhoe/Loader, Serial number 12118149. The bucket measured 2 feet wide, the excavation was 2.5 feet deep, and the manhole cap was 4 feet in diameter. Both employees wore hard hats and road vests.