This is a video of a boom truck in an overhead line. Pretty interesting. I have dial-up internet here at the house, and it took me about 20 minutes to download. The file is about 5.5 Megabytes. Enjoy

http://www.mikeholt.com/documents/mojofiles/BoomTruckinPowerLines.wmv

Eerie stuff! A while back here in LA a newslady lost an arm & leg when they lifted their aerial into 4160V lines & she tried to get out of the newsvan! !
Any news if the crane operator survived this? The truck didn't fare too well!

-Randy

PS.. I miss my dial up connection! 17 seconds to download on cable (T-1)

I wish I'd had that video when I had some dolt telling me that the rubber tires protected you from electrocution if a live-line hit your vehicle... Those rubber tires were passing so much current they were on fire!

Randy,

Had something like that happen in Alexandria when a WTTG news crew raised their mast into some 115kV transmission lines.
Somehow, no one was killed, but it totally destroyed the truck.

-John

Edited because according to the link posted by Mbhydro the voltage was 115kV, not 230kV.

[This message has been edited by BigJohn (edited 04-25-2004).]

Thanks Ryan,

We had a couple of these around somewhere awhile back. Electricity is an awesome thing, isn't it?

Here's a short clip of a switch opening:
http://www.themeterguy.com/Joslyn.mpg

Bill

BigJohn...
take another look at the video... The metal pull out braces on the crane are whats doing the arcing...

The newslady I spoke about would've been ok if she'd stayed in the van... The rubber tires of the van WERE in fact insulating it from ground.. the fireworks were coming from the mast connecting all 3 phases together overhead... The newslady became injured when she stepped OUT of the van (one arm holding on the van as she stepped out, she became the path of least resistance!) :sad:

Although the difference between 4160V & 230KV is monumental.. In her case it seems it would've helped.... I dunno about it being enough to insulate against 230KV..

-Randy

One of the earliest videos I remember fro mthe Fire Service showed a chauffeur (the driver/operator of a ladder truck) climbing up the "stick" with just boots and a helmet, and coming into contact with some distribution lines.

He was on fire most of the way back down the ladder. IIRC, something like 25% 3rd degree and 30% 2nd degree burns.

The instructor used it to teach us two things-

1) When placing an aerial device, watch out for power lines.

2) When you're working at an emergency scene, use your protective clothing. It does you no good back in the station, or on the seat.

I'll try to post a link, if I can find the video online.

Something I really contemplated was if we can have a "hotstick" (non-contact voltage indicator) why can't something similar be built into things that have potential to come into contact with power lines?!? TV newsvans could have one attached into their mast & transmitter that would sound & display an alert to the person operating the equiptment, along with preventing the mast from further elevation as long as the device was picking up EMF readings?

I'd love to get input on this being feasable or not

-Randy

Lostazhell, somebody has beaten you to the mast warning system for TV remote trucks. There are at least two companies that make such a system.

There is even an internet site for discussing such accidents and giving safety tips.

this link is a listing of known accidents from that site - most are masts in electric lines:
http://www.engsafety.com/safetypg2/Papers/Past-incidents/list.html