Abstract: A LINE CREW FOR AN ELECTRIC UTILITY WAS REPLACING UTILITY POLES FOR AN ENERGIZED OVERHEAD POWER LINE. ONE MEMBER OF THE CREW CLIMBED A NEW POLE TO TIE ONE OF THE PHASE CONDUCTORS OF A 4-KILOVOLT LINE TO A POST INSULATOR ON THE LOWER CROSSARM. A COWORKER WAS IN AN AERIAL LIFT ABOUT 100 FEET TO THE NORTH OF THE NEW POLE. THE EMPLOYEE IN THE AERIAL LIFT HAD REMOVED THE PHASE CONDUCTOR FROM THE EXISTING POLE, WHICH HELD THE CONDUCTOR AT A LOWER HEIGHT THAN THE NEW ONE. HE THEN USED THE AERIAL LIFT TO RAISE THE CONDUCTOR SO THAT THE FIRST EMPLOYEE COULD PUT THE CONDUCTOR ON THE INSULATOR ON THE NEW POLE. A THIRD EMPLOYEE, STANDING ON THE GROUND BY THE NEW POLE, PULLED ON A HAND LINE TO HELP RAISE THE CONDUCTOR. THE EMPLOYEE ON THE NEW POLE GRABBED THE CONDUCTOR AND, WITH A LITTLE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, LIFTED IT ONTO THE INSULATOR. IT IS BELIEVED THAT HE WAS REACHING FOR A TIE WIRE WHEN THE CONDUCTOR SLIPPED OUT OF THE GROOVE ON THE INSULATOR AND TOUCHED THE EMPLOYEE ON THE NECK. THE EMPLOYEE WAS ELECTROCUTED.