Abstract: At approximately 7:00 a.m. on August 28, 1995, Employee #1, a hot brake (cooker) operator for J. R. Wood, Inc., was running a bin dumper. A pallet with two barrels of fruit product was placed in the bin dump. The barrels dumped, but the pallet remained on edge. On his own initiative, Employee #1 climbed an access ladder and then out onto the bin dump frame to realign the pallet. He slipped and fell approximately 9 to 10 ft to the concrete floor, possibly striking his head on the dumper frame. He suffered a concussion and a nondisplaced skull fracture, was hospitalized for two days, and returned to work two weeks later. The employer has a procedure for access, using a forklift, high-sided fruit bin, or a forklift platform. There is no evidence Employee #1's supervisor was aware of his attempt to gain access by climbing. The employer has an operative written safety program and performed an internal accident investigation. A general violation of T8CCR 3657(a), failure to use appropriate forklift platform, was cited. Employee #1 had worked approximately four months for this employer, first in the warehouse and then as a hot brake operator.