Abstract: Employee #1, a skidder, was pulling out trees that were to be limbed and bucked before being hauled to a sawmill. He was struck in the head by a broken/split limb and suffered massive head injuries from which he died. The limb was from an ash tree and measured 6 1/2 in. in diameter and about 34 ft long. The limb had been split for some time. The split area was aged and weathered except for a small portion. Employee #1 was a new employee, although he had been involved in logging before. He was not wearing a hard hat and had not been instructed to look for and avoid broken, split, or snagged limbs.