Abstract: At approximately 6:35 a.m. on May 23, 2005, Employee #1, a customer service technician for a telephone communication service, was working on a service installation training exercise. The training exercise involved an aerial installation using a 28-foot ladder. As Employee #1 was performing a mid-span aerial installation, as part of completing his installation and maintenance course, he fell 28 feet to the ground with his ladder striking him. He was wearing his safety belt and safety line around his waist at the time of the accident, but the safety line was not placed around the cable as instructed. There were no witness to the accident; however, his instructor arrived a short time after the accident occurred and contacted emergency services. Employee #1 was hospitalized and treated for a fractured left femur. The accident investigation revealed that when the mid-span clamp was released (perpendicular force to the cable line); the tension caused Employee #1 to become unbalanced at the top of the ladder. Since he failed to place the safety line around the cable, he fell. The employer was issued a general citation for failure in requiring personnel to use personal protective equipment.