Abstract: A landscaping firm had contracted with a homeowner to trim a 13.7-meter-tall (45-foot-tall) eucalyptus tree in the homeowner's backyard. Two employees were assigned to the job. One of the employees left to buy lunch. The other employee was working alone, 10.7 meters (35 feet) above the ground in the tree. This employee, who was using a 4.9-meter-long (16.2-foot-long) aluminum pruning pole, was 3 meters (10 feet) away from a 12-kilovolt overhead power line that was supported by a utility pole located just beyond the back fence of the property. The power line was also 10.7 meters (35 feet) above the ground. The employee contacted the power line with the pruning pole and received an electric shock. Two carpenters working next door were eating lunch and watching him work. When he began to act strange by jumping around and when he would not answer them, they went over to check him and saw smoke coming from his seat. They pulled the rope dangling from his pole to get the employee away from the power line, and the pole fell to the ground. One of the carpenters left to summon emergency medical services. The carpenter's employer climbed the tree to see if he could help. He felt for a pulse and found none. He decided not to try to administer cardio-pulmonary resuscitation in the tree, but the emergency medical services arrived soon afterwards anyway. Unfortunately, it was too late--the tree trimmer had been electrocuted.