[FITZ]

This seems to have been an avoidable accident in many aspects.

[B4Ranch]

Avoidable in all aspects. Have you seen the equipment that is available to hold trench walls in place. There is always "sloping" still available. Yeah, it takes four times the space but you'll never loose an employee to Mother Earth shifting.

Then, I've seen foremen dig trenches three times as wide as necessary, just to protect their workers. And the last method I know about is the "T", which gives the collapsing earth somwhere to go besides down on the men in the trench. Actually, it looks more like a "T" with a "V" on top of it which gives better protection than a "T".