Abstract: The company was on-site to conduct sewer repairs at a depth of approximately 14 ft. The job was in an alley between rows of homes in a residential area. Employee #1 was inside the excavation fine grading. The employer had hydraulic speed shores and 4-ft by 8-ft sheets of wood backing every 4 ft to 5 ft apart for shoring. The excavation had water accumulation from the sewer laterals that came from the homes nearby. The sewer laterals had not been plugged or shut off, so when someone flushed their toilet, used the water or laundry; the water would flow into the excavation. While Employee #1 was inside the excavation the water caused the unshored areas of the excavation (the areas between the plywood backing, and the area below the plywood backing) to erode. This in turn caused the shored areas to become undermined and twist and collapse. Employee #1was buried by the sand and sewage water until the fire department saved him. Employee #1 suffered circulation problems from the sand compressing his body for a long period of time. Employee #1 was hospitalized for five days for circulatory treatment.