Abstract: BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, EMPLOYEE #1 HAD BEEN HELPING ANOTHER EMPLOYEE TROWELL FINISH A CONCRETE CAP OVER THE JOINT OF A CONCRETE PIPE CONNECTED TO A STEEL PIPE STORM DRAIN. THE CONNECTION WAS LOCATED IN AN EXCAVATION LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE SITE. THE PIPE, A 12 INCH STEEL STORM DRAIN, RAN SOUTH THRU THE EXCAVATION AND INTO A TRENCH AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE EXCAVATION. THIS PIPE RAN INTO THE TRENCH APPROXIMATELY 12 FEET. THE TRENCH WAS 9 FEET 4 INCHES DEEP AT THE EXCAVATION, AND RAN SOUTH AN ADDITIONAL 37 FEET. EMPLOYEE #1 HAD BROUGHT A BUCKET OF WATER TO HIS COWORKER AND WALKED AWAY. A FEW MINUTES LATER HIS COWORKER HEARD SOMEONE YELL EMPLOYEE #1'S NAME. THE COWORKER TURNED AND SAW THE TRENCH COLLAPSING ON EMPLOYEE #1. THE WEST WALL OF THE ENTIRE TRENCH BROKE LOOSE APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET BACK, KNOCKING EMPLOYEE #1 TO HIS KNEES AND BURYING HIM. HIS FELLOW EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS ON SITE IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO FREE HIM. THEY WERE ABLE TO UNEARTH HIM TO HIS SHOULDERS, BUT COULD NOT SAVE HIS LIFE. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT DATED OCTOBER 30, 1987 STATED THAT THE EMPLOYEE DIED OF A CRUSHED CHEST ("ASPHYXIATION SECONDARY TO THORACIC COMPRESSION"). NEITHER THE TRENCH NOR THE EXCAVATION WERE SHORED, SLOPED, OR OTHERWISE PREVENTED FROM CAVING IN. THE 2 YEAR OLD BACKFILL SOIL, WHICH WAS VERY UNSTABLE AND TRASHY, WAS USED FOR THE TRENCH AND EXCAVATION.