Abstract: Employee #1, a crane rigger, was in a manufacturing plant rigging precast concrete panels in preparation for their being lifted by a crane for truck shipment. He put a sling around a panel and the crane operator had started the lift when the boom cable broke. The boom fell on Employee #1, killing him. The boom cable displayed evidence of fatigue, including broken strands and strain separation, and the operator may have side-loaded the boom. The employer had not completed a written safety program. In addition, a crane maintenance program was not in effect; a tag line was not used in handling crane loads; and there were no regular documented inspections of critical crane components. Employee #1 had three to four years of on-the-job training and experience, but he had received no formal training.