Abstract: On October 17, 2000, A foreman and three employees were pruning an approximately 70 ft silver maple tree that was located approximately 25 ft from a dwelling. One employee was working at an approximately 50 ft height and was preparing to cut an 8 in. branch from the tree. The employee had looped his safety line around the crotch of an adjacent branch and was attempting to secure his climbing rope around the tree crotch when apparently the climbing rope popped the safety line from the tree crotch. The employee apparently lost his balance and fell, striking a rain gutter on the dwelling before striking the ground. There were no direct witnesses to the fall. Employees indicated that they had been trained. He was hospitalized with a unspecified fracture.