A contractor had been awarded the job of replacing a town's sewage system. An engineering firm had taken samples for ground conditions, and their report was available to bidders. Sampling via boreholes disclosed ground water at relatively shallow depths. Sand pockets near the surface needed "dewatering" before work could be carried out. The consulting engineer at the site was aware of the hazards, but the project supervisor and the crew were not. One member of the crew was last seen standing directly in front of a backhoe. It was a dangerous place to be, and his co-workers did not know why […]