Abstract: Employee #1 was positioned approximately 55 ft above the ground on a fixed ladder mounted to an oil well servicing rig. He was using a derrick climbing system that consisted of a counterweight mounted on a guy cable and connected to the climber with a wire rope cable and safety belt with leg straps. Employee #1 was wearing the safety belt and was connected to the counterweight system when he fell; however, the derrick climbing device was not equipped with a brake or other means to limit the speed of the descent. Employee #1 landed on his feet but struck some wellhead equipment on the ground that, combined with the velocity of his descent, caused him to fall backwards. He struck the back of his head on a wooden matting board, and died of severe head injuries. Employee #1 was wearing a hard hat.