Abstract: A CONTRACTOR FOR AN ELECTRIC UTILITY WAS REPLACING LINES ON A 69-KILOVOLT CIRCUIT. A POWER LINE WORKER ON THE CREW HAD JUST DEAD-ENDED ONE PHASE OF THE DEENERGIZED 69-KILOVOLT LINE. HE WAS BELTED OFF TO A UTILITY POLE, WITH HIS CLIMBERS IN THE POLE BELOW THE LINE. HE WAS HOLDING A HOIST WITH BOTH HANDS AND HAD HIS RIGHT LEG IN CONTACT WITH AN UNINSULATED GUY. AS HE WAS TRANSFERRING THE LINE TENSIONING HOIST TO ANOTHER CONDUCTOR, THE GRIP ON THE END OF THE HOIST CONTACTED A PARTIALLY PROTECTED 12-KILOVOLT LINE BELOW HIM. THE POWER LINE WORKER WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS BY THE ELECTRIC SHOCK HE RECEIVED, AND HE HUNG UPSIDE DOWN FROM HIS BELT. A COWORKER ON THE SAME POLE CAME TO HIS RESCUE FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CROSSARM ON THE POLE. THE RESCUER ATTACHED A HAND LINE TO HIS INJURED PARTNER, WHO REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THREE GROUND WORKERS, THE COWORKER LOWERED HIM TO THE GROUND. THE FOREMAN, WHO HAD BEEN OBSERVING THE OPERATION FROM THE GROUND, CALLED THE DISPATCHER TO REQUEST EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. THE INJURED LINE WORKER WAS ABLE TO WALK TO A BANK TO WAIT FOR THE AMBULANCE. THE AMBULANCE TRANSPORTED THE EMPLOYEE TO A BURN UNIT, WHERE HE WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH SEVERE BURNS TO BOTH HANDS AND TO HIS RIGHT LEG. HIS LEFT THUMB HAD TO BE AMPUTATED WITH TWO OF ITS JOINTS, AND SKIN GRAFTS WERE APPLIED TO HEAL THE 6-INCH DIAMETER BURN ON HIS RIGHT LEG.