Abstract: Employee #1 was erecting a 180 ft radio tower. The erection phase was complete, and the crew was lowering a unit referred to as a gin pole using a nylon rope spooled around a hoist drum that was mounted on the bed of a truck crane. The rope was strung through two pulleys and then attached to the gin pole. One of the pulleys was attached to the base of the tower, and the other to the top. Employee #1 was tied off to the gin pole by a safety belt and lanyard. During the lowering operation, the gin pole suddenly began to fall; it hit the ground with Employee #1 still attached, killing him. A subsequent investigation of the accident determined that it was the result of four violations: Employee #1 was tied off to the load and not to the tower, and was riding the load as it was being lowered; the rope was not attached to the drum or to the rope it was wrapped over; and the rope was not checked prior to starting the job to ensure that it was long enough.