The greatest danger associated with excavations is cave-ins or collapses. Cave-ins pose the highest risk because they can rapidly bury workers under tons of soil, leading to suffocation or crushing with a very high fatality rate. Most excavation-related fatalities are due to cave-ins, which happen quickly and unpredictably due to soil instability, lack of protective systems like shoring or trench boxes, and proximity to heavy equipment causing vibrations. These collapses make escape nearly impossible, highlighting the critical need for proper safety measures to prevent such incidents.