Abstract: THREE EMPLOYEES WERE STRINGING A NEW OVERHEAD POWER LINE ON NEW UTILITY POLES ADJACENT TO AN EXISTING LINE. DURING THIS JOB, THE EMPLOYEES HAD TO MAKE A TEMPORARY SPLICE AT MID-SPAN BETWEEN TWO POLES. THEY USED AN AERIAL LIFT TO RAISE THE NEW NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR ABOVE THE PRIMARY CONDUCTOR FOR ADDED CLEARANCE. THE EMPLOYEES DECIDED TO MAKE THE SPLICE AT GROUND LEVEL, BUT THEY NEEDED MORE SLACK IN THE LINE TO DO THIS. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES PAID OUT THE CONDUCTOR, AND THE EXCESS CONDUCTOR BACKLASHED. THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR CONTACTED THE EXISTING LINE, ELECTROCUTING ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES ON THE GROUND. THE OTHER EMPLOYEE ON THE GROUND, WHO WAS WEARING RUBBER BOOTS, ALSO RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK, BUT HE WAS NOT LISTED ON THE OSHA 170 FORM. (THE ORIGINAL REPORT STATED THAT HE WAS ALSO "ELECTROCUTED". HOWEVER, IT DID NOT INDICATE, AS IT DID FOR THE FIRST EMPLOYEE, THAT HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD.)