Abstract: At approximately 4:00 p.m. on December 17, employees of Shellhouse Construction were laying an 8 in. sewer line. That morning the crew laid 30 to 40 ft from the manhole. Two pipe layers (including Employee #1), a laborer, and the foreman worked at the bottom of a trench that was 20 to 25 ft deep and unprotected against cave-ins. The bottom of the trench was benched back a bucket width on each side (approximately 4 ft). The employees were trying to get the right grade so another section of pipe could be laid down. Then for a time, no employees were inside the trench. The foreman, who was operating the backhoe because the backhoe operator was on a break, instructed Employee #1 to go into the trench to check the grade. The employee went in, checked it, then stood atop the pipe that was just laid while the foreman took more soil out. As he did, one side of the trench collapsed at the bottom. The employee attempted to run to the ladder, but was buried beneath the collapsed trench wall. He was killed.