UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

On January 29, 2014, Employee #1 and a coworker were working for an organization engaged in telecommunications construction of new cable, rearrangements of underground cable environments and cable splicing. The employees were at a residential location and in the backyard site. They were working near a utility pole and completing a telecommunication section and replacing a terminal. Employee #1 placed his ladder just north of a chain link fence, which separated two residences. The coworker placed his ladder south of the chain link fence. Employee #1 deployed the ladder hooks on the wire strand and secured the ladder to the strand. The coworker also deployed the ladder hooks and secured the ladder to the strand and pole. Employee #1 then placed his ladder between a dove bird coop, which was built by the homeowner, and the chain link fence. The dove bird coop was just to the north and straight down from the ladder. There was a 4 in. by 4 in. post just north of and towards the back of the ladder. The employees had been up and down their respective ladders at least twice. The job was finished and both employees had released the secured ladders and were climbing down. Employee #1's ladder shifted towards the north as he was climbing down. He was approximately 4 ft up on the ladder when it shifted. Employee #1 reacted and tried to avoid falling onto the dove bird coop. Employee #1 turned to the right and jumped to the right landing on his right side on the 4 in. by 4 in. post. The post had been cut once and repaired by the homeowner. The post gave way and Employee #1 struck the piece sticking out of the ground approximately 10 in. Emergency medical personnel were summoned. They arrived and transported Employee #1 to a hospital. Employee #1 was stabilized and then transferred to a regional medical center and subsequently admitted for treatment due to rib fractures, pulmonary contusion and pneumothorax. He was hospitalized for approximately three days for treatment of these injuries.