Abstract: Some employees were deactivating a high-voltage load-break switch. An apprentice electrician who was not qualified to work on this equipment was assisting in the operation. The load-side lugs on the switch were deenergized and locked out. This deenergized the load-side lugs but allowed the line-side busbar to remain energized. The rear panel for the switch was removed so the employees could secure the conductors after they were removed from the load-side lugs. When the panel was removed, the 13.2-kilovolt, line-side busbars (7200 volts phase to ground) were exposed to contact. The apprentice electrician went to the back of the switch to get a better hold on the wrench he was using to loosen the lug bolts. As he reached into the cabinet, he contacted an energized part and received an electric shock. His movement caused his hard hat to move close enough to the busbars to create a phase-to-ground fault. The ensuing electric arc ignited his shirt and caused it to melt. He was hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns to his upper torso.