Abstract: Employee #1, a state certified blaster with 16 years experience, was working alone blasting in an open field to loosen limestone for construction of a roadway. Employee #1 had made a blast with no problems two days later. Employee #1 drilled and loaded the holes with ammonia nitrate, sounded the siren, gave a verbal signal, took cover behind a 4 ft high by 4 ft wide by 6 ft 1 in. magazine approximately 150 ft from the blast area, and fired the shot. A single piece of rock weighing 20 to 30 lb grazed the magazine and struck him on the head. Employee #1, who was wearing a hard hat and acting within the scope of his normal duties, was found unconscious and pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner.