Abstract: Two employees were working on an electronically controlled hydraulic two-point suspension scaffold inside a water tower. The employees were sandblasting the top of the water tower. A power failure occurred resulting in cessation of airflow into the employees' air-supplied abrasive blasting helmet respirators. Concurrent with the power failure, the lights ceased operation. Allegedly the employees could not manually lower the scaffold at this time. When the employee outside the water tower could not restore electric power, Employee #1 on the scaffold climbed off the scaffold and began to climb down the lifeline that his harness was attached to. The lifeline severed above the point that Employee #1's lanyard was attached to the lifeline and Employee #1 fell to the bottom of the water tower. It is not known the exact height of Employee #1 at the time of the accident because it is not known how far down Employee #1 had climbed down the rope before it severed. It is estimated that Employee #1 fell thirty to forty feet and was hospitalized with a fracture.