ECN Forum Forums Safety Discussion and News Occupational Safety Discussion Where did this advice come from?

bingo JC

and hey, look at the added benifit of having the involunmtary musculary contractility to be able to give yourself a black eye for such an obvious breech of safety standards too.....

~S~

What?!?! Use your hand? I was always told to use your tongue to see if it's hot. You know, that same test you do on a 9V battery to see if it's dead or not. Everyone knows that the toungue test is the only way!

[Disclaimer][Directed towards = DIY] I am just joking! The tongue test should not be used on anything higher than a 9V batery. If you decide to do the tongue test out of your own ignorance or stupidity, you're gonna get what's comin to ya. Besides, does Copper (or aluminum) really taste that good anyways? [/Disclaimer]

I can vouch for that! Back somewhere around the age of 10 or 11 I got a little daring and tried it on a 12V supply (which off-load was probably nearer 14 or 15V anyway).

Yeee-OUCH!

Joe,
As a HUGE assumption, I am assuming that all of the fronts on Panels in the US are metallic?.
Here the Dead Front is either PVC or PE plastics.
But, while the backhand method applies to Fire-fighter search techniques, it equally should apply to any area where bare live wires could be present.
Other side of the coin, I reckon that a "test before touch" approach should be used, get a lead to a known Ground and get your Voltage Indicator of your choice out!.

When I was a marine electrician we were instructed on the back hand method. When we went around and checked our motors we would touch the frames to make sure they were not too hot. "Too Hot" I'm still not sure what this means my hand wasn't a percise thermometor. The ship was three phase delta and the ground was the hull of the ship. There was a bonding jumper from the frame of the motor to the hull because of rubber mounts to lessen vibration. They told us to use the back of our hand just incase the bond went crappy and our muscles would contract and hopefully we would survive. Nice Thought! Maybe this is where the guy picked it up. That is where I heard of it before. Anyway For what it matters I think this is a good habit to have, but if you noticable saw something wrong I would use a meter instead of my hand.

[This message has been edited by RobbieD (edited 07-25-2004).]

Years ago, before the meters and other devices were available, these practices were common. You were not a 'real' electrician if you did not test this way. I was taught the 'thumb - forefinger' method when I started. Meters are now not only available, but not too costly - especially when it is your life we are discussing. With the advent of the volt tic, the non contact devices, and the handheld thermometer, I do not see the need to use one's hand anymore.

Pierre