Abstract: Employee #1 was attempting to finish painting a flagpole. The lower portion of the pole had been painted the day before. Employee #1 had built a 4 ft wood platform atop a 9 ft high metal platform. The metal platform was designed to be lifted by a forklift. Employee #1 wanted to check if the platform system could be used to reach the top of the flagpole. He climbed onto the platform system, and had another employee operate the forklift to lift the platforms. The platform system could not reach the top of the flagpole, so the platforms were lowered. When the platforms were on the ground and stable, a ladder was put in place so Employee #1 could descend from the platform. The forklift was turned off, and the worker assisting Employee #1 began to talk to a coworker. The workers heard a noise, turned, and saw Employee #1 falling down the ladder. Employee #1 struck the pavement, injuring the right side of his head. He was taken to the hospital, but never regained consciousness and died approximately nine days later. The causal factors include improper use of a forklift as a personnel lift, and the possibility that Employee #1, who may have had previous heart problems, suffered a heart attack.