UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

On November 12, 2013, Employee #1, with Three Frogs Inc., was cutting down a eucalyptus tree. Employee #1 was operating an aerial lift from inside the bucket, and a coworker was also in the bucket of the aerial lift, using a chain saw to cut branches. After initially cutting five (eight ft) sections near the top of the tree, Employee #1 raised the lift and attached a rope line halfway up the branch. Three other coworkers were below on the ground and were holding onto the line, in an effort to control the fall of the branch. Employee #1 positioned the lift near the lowest crotch, while the coworker using the chain saw made several cuts at the base of the approximately 30 ft branch. Instead of falling away from the aerial lift bucket and toward the three employees who were pulling on the rope, the branch fell towards Employee #1 and the coworker, who were in the aerial lift bucket. The coworker in the bucket was able to move out of the way of the falling branch, which then struck Employee #1 in the back of the head, striking his forehead against the top rail of the aerial lift bucket. Employee #1 sustained blunt force trauma head injuries. Paramedics responded and declared that Employee #1 was dead at the scene.