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#149126 07/18/03 11:45 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Just want to submit this picture, for discussion.
It is of a Liney(Craig Williams), over here,
fitting sleeves to some 33kV lines, next to an ABS(Air Break Switch) on a pole.
He is wearing the same gloves and gauntlets that all of us Line people have to.

[Linked Image]

Sorry about cutting his head off and leaving out the ABS, but this pic was in the paper.
(I have permission to use this, courtesy of The Press, ChCh, NZ).
What do you guys reckon?.
BTW, the guy is wearing a pole belt, that is hooked to the EWP that he is in.

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 07-25-2003).]

Arc Flash PPE Clothing, LOTO & Insulated Tools
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
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Moderator
It’s amazing to watch a crew do glove work. Each move has to be very methodical and deliberate. Distractions can be deadly.

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Bjarney,
As a young kid in Temuka(where ALL of our lines were O/H), I remember thinking that, My God that job looks dangerous, with respect to the Lineys, using all that cover-up gear and so-forth.
Having since done this work myself, there is not a lot to it really.
It's all a Mind-set, in that you could have upwards of 66kV flying past you, when you are standing between 2 phases of this system, but as long as you do what you think is right and SAFE, you can't really go wrong.
One thing that I have tried to emphasise in this Forum, is the fact, that wether you work on 120VAC or you work on 120kV, your level of Safety, is directly proportional to YOUR attitude, towards your own safety and that of anyone around you!. [Linked Image]

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Bjarney,
What sort of cover-up gear, is prevalent in the US?.
Is it similar to here?.
Are the long shoulder gauntlets used in the US?.
Do the gloves and gauntlets have to be regularly tested by Electro-static means?.
Just wondering. [Linked Image]

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
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Moderator
Yes, periodic rubber-goods retesting is required. Use is typically limited to 34.5kV by OSHA, but often to lesser voltages by local-utility policy [that seems to depend on a region's accident statistics.] Some limit glove work to 5kV. Sticks are the alternate live method.


[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 07-25-2003).]

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
S
Member
It looks like he's wearing more than just gauntlets -- is that also a rubber jacket or something he's wearing?

And rubber britches over his trousers?

Ohhh that's gotta be MURDER on a hot day!!

I've read (in a radio enginner's trade rag) that one pinprick in linesmen's gloves are enough to render them useless!!

Is this true?

[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 08-08-2003).]

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Gidday Sven,
Yeah, the rubber parts that cover the liney's arms and shoulders are actually a 2 part thing, they clip on to studs on your overalls,(which incidentally are orange and blue over here, with a reflective triangle on the back).
You're definitely on to it there, mate, with respect to working in Hot weather, the last time I done any REAL Line work, it was a day where the temperature got up to 35 degrees C, the sheer heat build up in this gear is stifling, we normally keep a cooler full of Gatorade in the EWP bucket in these conditions!. [Linked Image]
Yup,
Get the smallest of holes in a Glove and it's off to the Trash heap it goes, no sense in even repairing it, any hole in a glove like this, could be dangerously fatal.
We have a test bath at the local PoCo where the gloves are tested and they are put on a hand-like metal form and the water in the bath is Earthed, then a voltage of twice the Working Voltage of the glove is passed through it, this test can be quite spectacular if the glove has even the smallest of holes in it!. [Linked Image]
This is why we wear leather outers over our Rubber gloves, because at 66kV, you could quite easily damage a glove, which would not be too cool.


[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 08-16-2003).]

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Oh,
BTW, Sven,
the Liney is not wearing any over trousers, that is just the colour of the bottom part of his overalls.
What looks like a belt, is this guy's pole belt, he is attached to the side of the EWP bucket, in case he falls out, the actual strap is under the line sleeve in the centre left of the picture.
In case you were not aware, the EWP is made from Nylon-reinforced Fibreglass and apparently they test the bucket+ arm with a Flash Voltage of 3MV(AC), if it fails, it's out, good to see that the people are standing behind thier own products!. [Linked Image]

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Bjarney,
Brought me a Modie-wark last week,
Most dependable piece of test gear I've bought in a wee-while, I've tried it on Live lines, Isolated Lines and Newly-Isolated Lines, the thing hasn't missed a beat, thanks for the link, bud!. [Linked Image]
And it works from 3.3kV to 66kV, just the ticket,I say!.
BTW, I had it imported from Australia by Redeal Ltd(Ideal Electrical).
Most credit to Bjarney though! [Linked Image]

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
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Good deal Trumpy. Hope it serves you well.

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