Abstract: TWO POWER LINE WORKERS WERE USING LIVE-LINE TOOLS TO REPLACE DAMAGED INSULATORS ON A 115-KILOVOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE. ALTHOUGH THIS TASK WAS INCLUDED IN THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS, IT WAS NOT ONE THAT WAS PERFORMED ON A ROUTINE BASIS. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES WAS TWISTING A HOT STICK TO CLOSE A CLAMP ON A BLOCK AND TACKLE. THE CLAMP WAS HOLDING THE BLOCK AND TACKLE ONTO A PHASE CONDUCTOR. HE WAS BEING SUPERVISED BY THE OTHER WORKER, WHO WAS POSITIONED HIGHER ON THE UTILITY POLE. A SWIVEL RING AT THE CONDUCTOR END OF THE HOT STICK BECAME WRAPPED AROUND THE STICK. THE EMPLOYEE HOLDING THE TOOL REACHED OUT TO UNTANGLE THE BLOCK AND TACKLE, AND HIS ARM ENTERED WITHIN THE 3-FOOT, 4-INCH MINIMUM APPROACH DISTANCE FOR THE POWER LINE. AN ELECTRIC ARC OCCURRED, AND BOTH EMPLOYEES WERE SEVERELY BURNED. THE EMPLOYEE WHO HAD CAUSED THE ARC ALSO RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK. THE EMPLOYEES WERE HOSPITALIZED FOR THEIR INJURIES.