Abstract: On April 5, 2008, Employee #1, a tree climber/cutter, was working with five other employees to remove two cherry trees and one evergreen tree from a residential area. The decision was made to remove one of the cherry trees first. One of the branches of the tree was hanging over into a neighbor's yard, so Employee #1 donned his PPE to climb the tree and remove the branch. He put on his special heels for the climbing spurs, his climbing gloves, a climbing helmet, and had his climbing saw, as well as his climbing belt and the ropes. The tree was inspected again and appeared to be solid; there was no indication that it was dead and/or rotten. After climbing up almost 37 feet, Employee #1 tied into the tree and connected the rope to the section of the tree that was to be cut. He then climbed to the point where he positioned himself to make the cut. He checked the ropes and then made a notch cut for a clean break. Three coworkers were watching Employee #1 cut the tree section, and were holding the rope tight to control the lowering process of the limb. He made the cut, and the tree section started in a downward motion. Just as the lowering process was about to begin, the tree snapped off at the base/ground level, causing the entire tree to fall. Employee #1 could do nothing but ride the tree down as it fell. When the tree hit the ground he was thrown forward, landing face down on the ground. The foreman and the other employees went to his aid immediately and called emergency services. The employee had a bloody nose and apparent internal injuries. He was taken to St. Agnes Hospital, where he died later in the evening from his internal injuries.