Abstract: A POWER LINE WORKER FOR AN ELECTRIC UTILITY WAS WORKING FROM AN ELEVATED WORK PLATFORM ABOUT 40 FEET ABOVE THE FLOOR. HE WAS TESTING A THYRISTOR IN A 500-KILOVOLT DC-AC POWER CONVERSION STATION. A COWORKER WAS CONTROLLING THE TEST POWER SUPPLY THROUGH A FOOT SWITCH LOCATED AT FLOOR LEVEL. THE EMPLOYEE ON THE PLATFORM TOLD HIS COWORKER THAT HE WAS CLEAR OF THE SYSTEM AND THAT THE POWER SHOULD BE ACTIVATED. APPARENTLY, THE EMPLOYEE REACHED BACK INTO THE SYSTEM TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT WHILE THE 1400-VOLT, 40-AMPERE SYSTEM WAS ENERGIZED. THE EMPLOYEE RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND BURNS. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR HIS INJURIES.