Abstract: At approximately 8:51 a.m. on April 22, 2011, a backhoe operator was working with another employee at an excavation site in Carpinteria, CA. Employee #1 had been working as a backhoe operator for this employer for one year and 8 months. The trench that the employees were working in was approximately 33 inches wide and 7 feet deep, and was not shored or protected in any way. The employees were laying pipe in the excavation and then backfill the excavation. The other employee left the construction site to get more diesel for the backhoe. Employee #1 then entered the unshored trench. One side of the excavation caved in and buried the employee up to his head. Painters near the excavation heard the employee yell and ran over along with masons and framers to dig the employee out of the collapsed trench. Emergency services was called, and fire and ambulance services responded to the site. Employee #1 was dug out of the trench, but refused medical treatment and was taken home. A few hours later, Employee #1's legs went numb, and he called emergency services and was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Employee #1 was diagnosed with fractures to two vertebrae, his pelvis, and four ribs. Employee #1 was hospitalized for four days. The investigation concluded that the employer, County Sanitation Company Inc., did not have a competent person on site and did not have an employee in an excavation protected from cave-ins.