Employees were placing a 50-foot wood pole into the ground to support electrical lines. The line truck could not fit between the alleyway where the pole was to be placed. The injured employee was tasked with securing a bonding wire to the pole. He straddled the pole to about 12 feet to begin securing the grounding wire. As he stapled the wire, he lost his balance and fell onto the hard pavement/dirt surface. He was hospitalized and required surgery to repair his lower back.