Abstract: EMPLOYEE #1 WAS EMPLOYED AS A ROOFER AND FOREMAN. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT HIS CREW WAS INSTALLING A LOW PITCH BUILT-UP ROOF ON A TWO STORY BUILDING. THE WORKERS HAD JUST STARTED WORK ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. EMPLOYEE #1 AND THREE OTHERS WERE PREPARING TO LOAD MATERIALS ONTO THE ROOF FROM A CRANE. EMPLOYEE #1 PICKED UP A PALLET, UNAWARE THAT IT WAS COVERING A ROOF OPENING. HE STEPPED UP TO THE PALLET, WITHOUT LOOKING, AND FELL THROUGH THE OPENING, 19 FEET TO THE NEXT FLOOR. HE SUFFERED A FRACTURED PELVIS, FRACTURED WRIST, AND A BUMP ON THE HEAD. THE OPENING THROUGH WHICH HE FELL HAD BEEN CUT THE DAY BEFORE, THEN COVERED BY A PIECE OF PLYWOOD. SUBSEQUENTLY, A CARPENTER HAD REPLACED THE PIECE OF PLYWOOD WITH A PALLET. THE PALLET WAS NOT DESIGNED OR INTENDED FOR USE AS A FLOOR HOLE COVERING. IT WAS NOT SECURED IN PLACE, NOR WAS A WARNING SIGN PROVIDED. THERE HAD BEEN NO INSPECTION OF THE WORK AREA PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF WORK. EARLIER, TWO OTHER WORKERS, AN ELECTRICIAN AND A WELDER FROM OTHER COMPANIES, HAD CLOSE CALLS AT THE SAME FLOOR OPENING. NEITHER WORKER HAD TAKEN STEPS TO CORRECT THE HAZARD.