Abstract: At approximately 3:00 p.m. on July 7, 1997, Employee #1, an explosive expert, was placing a cutter head assembly that contained a 13 gram explosive charge onto a firing head assembly. This assembly was to be placed into a salt water well approximately 8,100 ft below the well head. The operator who fired the explosive did not ensure that the assembly was inside the well before setting off the charge. Employee #1 had just finished screwing on the charge when the explosion occurred. The blast amputated his forearm and one of his legs, and he died at the scene. The cause of the accident was the lack of communication between Employee #1 and the operator.