SC WI | jimgen - 1/12/2021 19:59
That would be a real no no IMO. Some of those distribution lines are now over 21,000 volts. If you try with your hot stick and gloves on a damp day and you have any little flaw you will not live.
I know two guys that have died from electrocution.
One was in a bucket truck with his son working in 4160 v line. He accidentally brushed a hot line and his son could not touch him and the father was dead when the son got the bucket on the ground.
I don’t know your background but live line tools have a wet rating in excess of 75,000 volts per foot. Obviously company policies vary but most don’t require rubber gloves with tested live line tools. Live line work is commonly conducted on 138kv lines with 8ft sticks.
Losing guys in this line of work is very serious but to just brush a line isnt going to kill anyone without a series of other serious mistakes first. I.e he must have completed a path either to ground or to another phase, otherwise on distribution voltages in an insulated bucket truck with the fiberglass out the bird on a wire theory is in effect. 2400v Lines were routinely worked worked off of the pole not all that long ago with dry leather gloves being the PPE, 4160 might bite a little in a bucket were you to make contact with it. 14.4 kv you’ll definitely notice contact with it but it to wouldn’t kill you without another catastrophic mistake taking place. |
Telescopic Hot Stick
