Abstract: Two oil well drilling employees were using a Delco portable steam cleaner. One of the employees was holding the steam nozzle while the second employee plugged the cleaner into an extension cord set. The employee holding the nozzle, who was standing in water and mud, was electrocuted. The plug on the steam cleaner's power supply cord had been wired with the ungrounded circuit conductor and the equipment grounding conductor reversed. This ground fault energized the frame of the cleaner and the pressure nozzle (through the metal-clad pressure hose). The equipment was not approved for wet or conductive locations. It was regularly rewired and taped when water would cause employees to receive electric shocks.