Abstract: Employee #1 was replacing the control cables and hoses in a truck-mounted articulating boom. He used an 8 ft aluminum stepladder, rated for a 225 lb load, to access the boom joint because the available work platforms were too short. He was pulling a cable through the boom and exerting a significant lateral force, when the ladder slipped. Employee #1 fell, striking his head on the base of a roll around the tool box. He suffered a major head injury and was transported to the hospital, where he was declared brain dead five days later and removed from life support. The cause of the accident was that the ladder was overloaded vertically and horizontally. Employee #1 weighed 247 lb, more than the ladder was rated to support. He also exerted a significant side load by pulling the cable with both hands. It was recommended that the ladder, which was damaged in the accident, be removed from service and that an adjustable height platform be provided to employees, along with training in its safe use.