Almost... I have an Uncle who did just that- worked the lines until retirement. Sure, there is danger, just as in any task. For what really gets you, perhaps the military has some guidance....
Somehow, 'reserve' formations have much higher casualty rates than "line" ones, and the "super troopers" have the lowest rates of all. This is in spite of the fact they get the scariest jobs.
The difference lies in attitude, training, and preparation.
Even though HV accidents provide us with lots of dramatic pics, far more are hurt by ordinary, plain Jane household power. Look closely at the numbers, and most of these folks had no business playing with the wiring. Another good chunk was taking silly, unnecessary risks.
I will say that another combat rule applies to accidents: if you survive your "baptism," you'll likely go on forever. Again, statistics bear out that a very large share of accidents occur at defined points in one's career- and most of these times are when you're realtively new to the trade.
Getting back on topic.... it seems to me that the qualifications they want are quite different from what the job title implies. Do they want a HV lineman- or a meter reader?
