Abstract: On April 20, 1990, Employee #1 (a lineman journeyman) and a lineman were placing a protective casing over piping in a 20 ft deep by 15 ft wide pit. The employees got out of the pit to get additional materials. The coworker went back into the pit first, using an aluminum ladder that was located at the southwest corner of the pit. Employee #1 came back at a later time and proceeded to descend into the pit. Instead of grabbing the ladder to get into the pit, he grabbed the 12 ft top rail of the platform. The rail broke and he fell backward 15 ft into the pit, landing on a pipe. He sustained a broken neck and other injuries, for which he was hospitalized. Employee #1 had been laying underground piping for 32 years. The employer does conduct safety meetings.