Abstract: At approximately 5:20 a.m. on July 7, 2008, Employee #1, a telephone operator for a small local newspaper, was at her place of business that was located in a one-story strip mall. It was her turn to open up the office and deactivate an alarm that is located at the back of the building. If not shut off within 45 seconds, the alarm sounds. Although there is a back door that is closer to the alarm, Employee #1 prefers to use the front door, which allows her to get inside quicker. As Employee #1 entered the office from the front door and proceeded down the hall to shut off the alarm, she tripped on the carpet, which has been repaired in several places with duct tape, and fell to the floor. She hit her arm, fracturing it in several places, and damaged an artery. Additionally, her head bounced off a box of paper lying in the hallway, but it was undetermined if she lost consciousness. Employee #1 pushed herself on her back to a nearby desk and called emergency services for help. Two groups of paramedics responded to the call and found employee on the floor alert and responsive. Employee #1 was transported to Redbud Community Hospital, where it was determined that she had sustained several fractures to her right arm and damaged an artery. She was then transported to UC Davis Med Center, where she underwent surgery to repair the fractures in her arm, installing a steel plate in her shoulder, and damaged artery. Following the surgery and recovery, Employee #1 was transferred to a convalescent hospital to continue her rehabilitation. During the accident investigation, it was determined that several factors contributed to the accident with the first being the carpet repairs that were conducted with duct tape did not bridge a separation between the two halves of the carpet, leaving a slight declivity (less than 1 inch). Second, the tape was not completely flat. Portions of it had rolled up and the sticky side was exposed, which may have caught Employee #1's smooth rubber soled walking shoes.