Abstract: At 4:00 p.m. on October 6, 2011, an employee was saw cutting joist laid flat on the stud wall with a circular saw. The project consisted of the construction of a new two story, residential stick-built house, with a two person framing crew working alone on site. Employee #1 was on the second floor adjacent to a stairwell to the basement, which was uncovered and unprotected at both the first and second floor levels. Employee #1 was cutting joists by extending the ends of each joist into the stairwell opening to allow for an unrestricted area for the saw to cut the joists. While cutting the joists, Employee #1 apparently lost his balance and fell 17 feet and 10 inches to the basement level resulting in a fatal head injury. Employee #2 was working on the first floor when he heard the employee fall. Employee #2 went to his aid and called 911. First responders found Employee #1 unresponsive and he was pronounced dead at the scene.