Abstract: At 3:30 p.m. on April 21, 1999, Employee #1 of the Inyo County Road Department was injured while working with a maintenance crew in the community of Lone Pine. Employee #1 was working with a crew that was trimming trees when the accident occurred. Employee #1 had climbed into a tree about six feet above the ground to use a power saw to trim limbs from the tree. When he completed his task, he waved at the operator of a nearby front-end loader to come over and lift him out of the tree. Employee #1 climbed into the bucket and was lowered to the ground. When the bucket was lowered, the bucket operator curled the bucket back. Employee #1 had placed his right hand on a chain hook on the top of the bucket to stabilize himself, and the hook came into contact with the ram that operated the bucket. When this occurred, Employee #1's hand was crushed. Three fingers were severed and mangled beyond repair. He was hospitalized.