The videos I've seen of a short in a meter bank in a metering room for a condo or some other type of big building is truly impressive. It's something you do not want to be near.
The required PPE would be, for my companies, FR shirt, natural fiber clothes, steel toes, Class 0 gloves, hard hat, and safety glasses and/or face shield.
Depending on the power company's high-side protection is certainly taking a large gamble with your life. Its scheme is designed to protect equipment, not people. OH transformers would be more merciful than UG equipment since those Bay-o-net fuses are way over sized to force the pothead fuse to blow first.
Also when it comes to pulling the meter, don't do it unless the power company specifically says it's okay. Cutting the seal is usually the first step to "diverting current." Most power comapnies are pretty serious about that stuff.
Wes
