Abstract: On January 9, 2008, the employer's maintenance manager hired Employee #1 through a verbal agreement to pay cash for labor assistance in hanging signs at the new apartment complex. Employee #1 had availed himself for hire as a day-laborer outside of the local Home Depot establishment. On that date, the employer's maintenance manager transported the worker from Home Depot to the apartment complex to assist them in hanging signs on the exterior side of the new apartments. Employee #1 stated that he was hired to assist the maintenance manager hang three signs near the roofline of the new two-story apartment building. The signs were large advertising banners and would be held in place with screws drilled into the exterior stucco. The maintenance manager provided a two-section extension ladder, but it was too short to reach the desired location. Thus, the maintenance manager erected one bay of scaffolding and planked one working level at the top. The feet of the ladder were then placed on that working level and the maintenance manager then ascended and descended the ladder while Employee #1 held the base of the ladder to prevent it from slipping. Employee #1 stated that the maintenance manager was not comfortable with the height, which was approximately 18-feet, thus they reversed roles. Employee #1 then ascended and descended the ladder to secure the banner while the maintenance manager held the ladder at the base. Employee #1 was using a cordless power drill to secure the screws into the stucco. As they were completing the installation, they realized that they were short one screw. The maintenance manager then left Employee #1 on the ladder and went to the maintenance storage area to get a screw. When the maintenance manager returned, they climbed onto the scaffold and reportedly the ladder slipped and fell backwards with Employee #1 still on it. Employee #1 fell to the ground and suffered a broken wrist, several fractured ribs and fractured eye socket. Employee #1 was hospitalized for three days for surgery on his wrist. The employer did not report the accident, as required.