Abstract: An employee was arc welding from a one-person suspended scaffold. The work lead on the welder had frayed insulation in one place, and the bare conductor was exposed. The frayed section of welding cable was tied around the metal guardrail of the scaffold. Since the scaffold was not grounded, it became energized. This caused arcing between the scaffold and the building. The welding current passed through the wire rope supporting the scaffold, and the wire rope separated. The employee and the scaffold fell 15 meters (50 feet) to the ground. The employee had been using an independent lifeline, but the heated wire rope apparently severed it. The employee was hospitalized for his injuries.