Abstract: At approximately 2:15 p.m. on Friday, February 12, 1999, a serious injury occurred to Employee #1 of a painting contractor. Employee #1 had worked for the company for approximately six months as a painter. Site of accident was a new high school and Employee #1 was touching up the paint in the practice gymnasium. He was at this job site for approximately 1.5 to 2 months. He had been using a scissor lift to reach the high ceiling and walls. He was moving the lift forward when it contacted a hole in the floor, causing the lift to overturn with Employee #1 still inside the cage. Employee #1 received severe injuries including fractures to the pelvis, jaw, wrist and elbow and was hospitalized for 22 days. The lift was extended between 19 and 23 ft when it fell. The hole in the gymnasium floor was 2-ft by 2-ft and the depth varied between 7 and 10 in. There were a total of nine openings in the floor and all but one were covered and secured with plywood and screws. The day before the accident, all the holes were covered. The missing plywood was found at a doorway entrance being used as a ramp.