Abstract: At approximately 2:45 p.m. on March 23, 1994, Employee #1 and a coworker, of a roofing contractor, were spreading plastic sheeting over a flat, monolithic roof on a two-story apartment building in Long Beach, CA. The sheeting was a temporary way to prevent leaks if it should rain. While pulling on the sheeting, Employee #1 reportedly stepped in an area of the roof that had dry rot. His foot sank down and slipped off the edge, causing him to fall 18 ft 2 in. to the patio. Employee #1 suffered a comminuted fracture of the right ankle. Investigation shows that the wooden fascia under the flashing of the roof appears to have rot or termite damage, and shows signs of unusual failure.