Abstract: A tack welder was working on the rake bottom of a tanker barge under construction. A shipbuilding company had a contract to build a tanker barge that was 90.7 meters long and 16.5 meters wide. The barge was being constructed in sections. The section on which the welder was working was fabricated of 12.7-millimeter-thick, 836 mild steel plating with Zinc coating. The plate was 16.5 meters by 12.2 meters. The welder was tacking 9.5-millimeter-thick angle braces, one measuring 152 millimeters and the other 89 millimeters. The angle braces were placed 610 millimeters apart. The employee was using a Lincoln Idealarc (Model No. TM400/400) combination AC/DC welding machine. The welding rods were Jetweld 2, and the welding rod holder was a Duro. The employee was standing on the steel plate, using the welding machine in AC mode. The employee had been having problems welding, and the welding instructor had been called to the plant to determine what the problem was. The lead worker had switched welding machines and instructed the employee to continue welding. Because of this, the employee was nervous and sweating profusely. A coworker noticed that the employee was having a problem and asked if he was okay. The employee said that he was receiving an electric shock and fell over. The employee was electrocuted. The welding rod holder was defective, and the gloves worn by the employee were wet. Additionally, employees had not been properly trained in welding operations.