Abstract: At 11:15 a.m. on March 6, 2021, Employee #1, a maintenance splicing technician, was assigned to install a new phone line for a residence at a multi-unit residential complex. While connecting the phone line to the clearance pole, the employee fell from the 28-foot extension ladder he was using to access the pole. The pole broke at the base and fell toward the units, causing Employee #1 to fall onto the concrete driveway. The employee sustained multiple injuries, including fractured ribs and punctured lungs, and was transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital, where he underwent surgery and was hospitalized from March 6, 2021, to March 11, 2021. The contributing factors were not inspecting the condition of the pole prior to climbing and failing to select alternative equipment for reaching the working height.