Abstract: On March 9, 2004, Employee #1, an assistant lineman with the Imperial Irrigation District, was practicing pole climbing for an upcoming competitive pole climbing tournament. With him was a coworker who was certified as a Pole Climbing Trainer. The practice poles were 33-ft-high wooden utility poles placed in the ground close enough together to allow trainers to observe trainees on adjacent poles. Employee #1 was working on a new climbing technique with the lanyard lapped over his shoulder instead of clipped to the D-ring on his lineman's belt. The new technique allows faster ascent or descent. While descending using this new technique, Employee #1's right gaff did not set into the pole, and he fell approximately 15-20 ft to the dirt ground. He was hospitalized for a fractured right ankle, right tibia, and right fibula. Employee #1 was certified as a Pole Climber from the Imperial Irrigation District and was adequately trained in pole climbing. His PPE and fall protection equipment was inspected soon after the accident and found to be in good working condition. When the accident occurred, Employee #1 was also wearing leather boots with a heel, hard hat, leather gloves, safety glasses, and Kevlar shirt and pants.