Abstract: At approximately 3:00 p.m. on August 16, 2003, Employee #1 and a coworker started the installation of a residential air heater. Employee #1 was working off the first or second step of the bottom of 6-ft-step ladder. He was cutting a hole in the sheetrock. He had also been running a thermostat wire which was stapled to the ceiling and freely hanging in the air. As he was stepping to the floor, his foot got tripped up in the wire. He fell back and then he attempted to catch himself with his right hand. His right hand landed on a piece of sheet metal duct strapping which cut his hand across from the thumb to the pinky finger, severing several tendons and nerves. He was taken to the R. L. Davies California Pacific Medical Center. He had surgery on to repair nerves, tendons, and veins that were seriously cut by the metal. He was hospitalized and treated for his injuries.