Abstract: Employee #1 and a coworker were performing routine maintenance on climate control louvers in a large sugar beet storage building. They were working from a scaffold structure that was designed specifically for the job and could be incorporated into the existing catwalk. The louvers were approximately 35 ft above floor level in the north-facing wall of the building. The scaffold work platform was approximately 28 ft above the floor level and consisted of two 8 ft 6 in. long 2 by 12 planks. The work platform was positioned directly above a 14-in. wide opening between the permanent catwalk and the building's wall. Employee #1 was directly above this opening when the plank he was standing on broke under his weight. He was dropped directly downward, through the 14 in. opening, landing directly atop the cab of a company-owned pickup truck. Employee #1 sustained serious back injuries and a laceration on his right leg; he is expected to make a full recovery.