Abstract: ON MAY 23, 1988, EMPLOYEE #1, A LABORER, AND A BACKHOE OPERATOR WERE DIGGING A TRENCH TO TIE INTO A 6 INCH VENT PIPE. THE BACKHOE OPERATOR STRUCK AN OBJECT IN THE TRENCH AT A DEPTH OF ABOUT 10 FEET. EMPLOYEE #1 ENTERED THE TRENCH WITH A SHOVEL TO SEE IF THE OBJECT THAT WAS STRUCK WAS THE VENT PIPE THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO LOCATE AND TIE INTO. MOMENTS AFTER ENTERING THE TRENCH, ONE WALL CAVED IN AND COVERED HIM FROM THE NECK DOWN. THE BACKHOE OPERATOR AND SOME OTHER EMPLOYEES WHO HAD BEEN WORKING NEARBY DUG HIM OUT WITH SHOVELS. EMPLOYEE #1 SUFFERED A BROKEN ARM AND A SPRAINED ANKLE. ACCORDING TO EMPLOYEE #1 AND THE BACKHOE OPERATOR, THEY HAD PLANNED ON USING A TRENCH BOX, SHORING OR ADEQUATE SLOPING BEFORE ACTUALLY WORKING IN THE TRENCH. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE TRENCH WAS APPROXIMATELY 14 FEET LONG, 10 FEET DEEP AND 2 FEET WIDE AT THE BOTTOM. THE TRENCH WAS SLIGHTLY SLOPED AT ABOUT 2 FEET HORIZONTALLY FOR A 10 FOOT VERTICAL RISE. A FACTOR IN THE CAVE-IN WAS THE FACT THAT THE SOIL AT THE CAVE-IN SITE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISTURBED AND WAS WET FROM RAIN.