Abstract: A crew working for a transportation authority was removing defective expansion joints from the 600-volt third rail on a rail system. The employees had removed wooden boards covering the third rail so that they could perform the job. There was no written procedure, but the rail system normally remained energized while employees worked on it. The employees also did not cover the rail with electrical protective equipment. A power line worker on the crew, who was about 6.1 meters from his coworkers, apparently slipped on the build-up of mud on some railroad ties. He contacted the third rail and was electrocuted.