Abstract: At approximately 12:45 p.m. on February 26, 2002, Employee #1, working for Pacific Bell to install service for a new customer, climbed a telephone pole to drop a wire down to the house. Upon completion and when descending the pole, his left gaff, a climbing hook used for erecting or repairing a telephone or power line, cut out of the pole (wood around the gaff gave way). He started sliding down and could not get his gaff to stick back into the pole. He could not hold on and fell backward about 12 feet onto asphalt. He was working alone in a residential neighborhood. He yelled for help because he was bleeding and could not get up. A neighbor heard him, came to assist, and called emergency medical services. The injured employee was hospitalized for treatment and observation; he received stitches on his head.