Central Maine Power Co. has ordered one of its contractors to suspend work on the $1.4 billion upgrade of its transmission system pending an investigation into the death of a worker who fell from a utility pole in Saco.

John Plante, 44, of Oakland died at a hospital after falling an estimated 40 feet while descending a 95-foot wooden pole Monday. Plante was working for Hawkeye LLC, based in Hauppauge, N.Y.

Don Rassiger, chief counsel for Hawkeye, said Plante was hired in July as an apprentice lineman.

When he fell, he was wearing an apparatus known in the industry as a 100 percent fall protection device, which has one harness and two belts, Rassiger said. That information came from emergency responders and Hawkeye’s internal investigation.

Saco Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Holland said Plante’s safety harness was at the police station Wednesday.

He said the first emergency responders arrived at 4 p.m. Monday, nine minutes after receiving the call for help. They made their way to the site — a snowy, uneven area about 1,500 feet off Boom Road — in a small truck that’s used to fight forest fires.

The truck carried Plante to a waiting ambulance. He died later at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Holland said.

A co-worker on an adjacent tower saw Plante fall, he said.

“It was at the end of the day and I suspect they were finishing up,” said Holland. There was no rain, sleet or snow falling at the time.

Rassiger said he believes Plante climbed the free-standing wooden utility pole to install something at the top, possibly a bird protection device, and was descending when he fell.

He said Hawkeye workers are deeply saddened by the accident, and he offered condolences and support to Plante’s family.

Plante’s sister, Charmaine Haiss of Oakland, said her brother was a stickler for safety and worked on natural-gas rigs before he joined Hawkeye.

She said he was kind-hearted and “loved life,” and his smile and laugh were infectious.

Her brother enjoyed playing sports including hockey, soccer and golf, and spending time with his family, she said. He took his Labrador retriever, Barney, everywhere.

“He was passionate about his work,” she said. “His eyes lit up when he talked about what he was doing.

“This was such a waste,” she said. “Why didn’t one of the belts stop him?”

After the accident, CMP ordered an immediate stand-down for all transmission construction crews and briefed workers on Plante’s death and safety procedures.

“This is a terrible loss, and our sympathies go out to Mr. Plante’s family and friends,” said Douglas Herling, CMP’s vice president for special projects. “We have suspended any further work by Hawkeye until we are confident they can ensure the safety of anyone associated with the construction they are doing for our company.”

CMP announced in 2010 that it had hired Hawkeye and two other contractors to work on its $1.4 billion Maine Power Reliability Program, which calls for construction of five 345-kilovolt substations and other facilities joined by about 440 miles of new transmission lines through 75 cities and towns.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident. A message left with the agency was not returned Wednesday.

The state Medical Examiner’s Office will complete an investigation into Plante’s death within six months. The office in Augusta investigates all sudden, unexpected and violent deaths in Maine.

Morning Sentinel Staff Writer Beth Staples can be contacted at 861-9252 or at:

bstaples@centralmaine.com