Abstract: On February 2, 1991, Employee #1, of Universal Alloy Corporation, intended to perform maintenance work at the bottom of a quench pit. He stepped into the cage to begin his descent when it suddenly fell 40 ft to the bottom of the pit. Employee #1 suffered a broken ankle and fractured ribs. The cage fell because the attachment sling from the cage to the overhead support was improperly maintained. The sling loop was jammed into the attachment cylinder and a holding pin had been inserted. A pull test had appeared to confirm that a proper attachment had been made, but the sling pulled loose, allowing the cage to fall. The lack of a safety chain running from the cage to an overhead hook was a violation of safety orders.