Abstract: At approximately 10:15 a.m. on July 31, 2012, Employee #1, a coworker and the employer were dismantling a tree in the yard of a private residence. The employer was cutting limbs from the top of an 80 ft oak tree. Employee #1 and a coworker were at the base of the tree. Employee #1 was operating the belay system for lowering the severed limbs and the coworker was in the prepping area and waiting to cut up the lowered limbs. The employer was sectioning a 15 ft long and 7 in. thick limb at the 70 ft section of the tree. There was an excess amount of slack in the rope being used to lower the limb. When the limb was cut, the limb fell several feet before being caught by the rope causing the limb to swing and rotate in a pendulum motion. The limb swung in the direction of Employee #1, and the belay operator, who was located approximately 2.5 ft from the base of the tree, striking him in the neck and collapsing on top of him. Employee #1 was killed and sustained fractures to his neck vertebrae and skull and lacerations to his arm, shoulder, neck and head.