Abstract: On July 27, 1998, Employee #1 was drowned when he fell approximately 35 feet from his work level into the water. The employee was painting the exterior hull surfaces of the aircraft carrier U. S. S. Saratoga. At the time of the accident, Employee #1 was reportedly trying to use a ship's ladder to gain access to an overhead platform(s), located above the catwalk on which he stood. The first rung of the ship's ladder was 8 feet 3 inches above the deck of the catwalk. The employee attempted to boost himself up on the top rail of the catwalk's guardrail to access the ladder. However, when he grabbed the bottom rung of the ship's ladder, it broke off, causing him to lose his balance and fall 35 feet into the water. Employee #1 was not wearing a personal flotation device (i.e., life jacket) at the time of the accident. In addition, the employee was not provided safe access (i.e., scaffold, ladder, or stair platform) to the ship's ladder. He was 47 years old at the time of the accident.