Abstract: Employee #1 and five coworkers were going to scrap the top of an 80,000 barrel tank and had climbed to the top of it to observe the conditions. The lead man ran out lifelines for the other workers to use and then outlined the work area for each employee. He then descended to start digging a fire ring. A coworker also went down to string out hoses for the cutting torches. The other workers stayed on top of the tank removing Styrofoam coating from around the edge of the tank. About one hour after starting, a coworker ran down the stairs and told the lead man that Employee #1 had gone through the top of the tank. Employee #1 fell 42 ft to the concrete floor; he died on the operating table approximately three hours after the accident. For fall protection, the employees had been using 1/4 in. polypropylene rope tied around their waists. They had no safety belts.