Abstract: One employee working for an oil well drilling firm and three employees working for a contractor were working at a well site. One of the contractor's employees was driving a winch truck; the other two were spotters in the field. The contractors' employees were moving a pumping unit beneath an overhead power line. One of the contractor's employees stated to the employee of the drilling company (employee #1) that the pump would not clear the power line. Employee #1 climbed onto an I-beam, said that the line had to have been deenergized, and ordered the work to proceed. He touched the first phase conductor and nothing happened. He moved that conductor to the other side of the horse head on the pump. As the other employees moved the unit, employee #1 placed the neutral conductor over the horse head. Employee #1, the I-beam, and the horse head were between the two phase conductors at that time. As employee #1 approached the second phase conductor, he moved to the side of the I-beam and was within 150 millimeters (6 inches) of the second phase conductor. When he reached over the beam to get a better grip, he contacted the second phase conductor, which was energized, and was electrocuted.