Abstract: Three employees were preparing to paint a 160-ft water tower. Two coworkers were sandblasting from boatwains chairs and Employee #1 was stationed at the top to ensure the coworkers' ropes falls would not become entangled as they changed location. They all were wearing safety belts with lanyards attached to rope falls which were tied in a bowline knot around the bent pipe of the water tower, which was sufficient to sustain a 3400 lb static loading. Employee #1 lost his hard hat to a gust of wind. Employee #1 lost his balance while trying to catch his hard has and fell. Employee #1 was sliding down the rounded surface of the water tank when the rope fall snapped and he fell to the ground below. Employee #1 died from injuries suffered from the fall.