Abstract: On May 12, 2005, Employee #1, a crew leader/climber for a power line-clearing/tree-trimming team, had climbed up into a tree and had cut several small branches. Employee #1 climbed higher and was cutting another branch. When he cut halfway into the branch, the branch fell on top of the 7,600-volt power line that was next to the tree. Employee #1 attempted to pull the branch off the power line with a pruning pole. He told the ground-man he was going to need another part of a pruning pole to finish pruning the limb draped over the power line. At that time, Employee # 1 stated that he couldn't put his gaffs (the climbing spikes attached to his boots) into the tree because the tree was "hot." The tree that Employee # 1 was in apparently became electrified by the power line. Employee # 1 then calmly said, "oh no." At that time, Employee # 1's body began to shake and tense up from electricity. The ground man stated that he started yelling at Employee # 1, in an attempt to get him to respond. Employee # 1 did not respond to his yells, and the ground man observed Employee # 1 hanging lifeless from the tree. Apparently, Employee # 1 was electrocuted and killed by the pruning pole contacting the overhead power line.