Working in the rain...

[ntxhand]

What's your company's policy or in your contract about working in the rain or inclement weather. I know there are exceptions like a feeder is burning on the ground or cops are directing traffic cause a pole is in the roadway. But what constitutes an emergency in your yard? A single phase pad xfmr needs change in the pouring rain or broken insulator? Everywhere I've been it's been a common practice of something you just don't do. Do you touch primary in the rain? Does it matter if it's 14.4 or 12470? I wanna know what's your guidelines?

[Lineman North Florida]

If there are lights out we work in it, unless the lightning is hammering close or the wind is in your opinion gusting to high to work safely, it's all left up to the common sense of the lineman on the call, I was taught early on if there was one or a thousand customers out we were to work with a sense of urgency to get them back on, working in bad weather is just one of the things that set lineman apart from most all other trades. If there are no lights out, we cab up.

[reppy007]

If there are lights out we work in it, unless the lightning is hammering close or the wind is in your opinion gusting to high to work safely, it's all left up to the common sense of the lineman on the call, I was taught early on if there was one or a thousand customers out we were to work with a sense of urgency to get them back on, working in bad weather is just one of the things that set lineman apart from most all other trades. If there are no lights out, we cab up.

I agree.There are times when it doesnt stop raining for hours,A little rain never has hurt a lineman...To me the answer is fairly easy.....If you own rain gear dont you use it in the rain or do you use it until it starts raining?Its up to the lineman working.....and yea.....lightning changes everything :(

[bren guzzi]

Get on with it. " YOUR NOT MADE OUT OF SUGAR". :eek:

[Orgnizdlbr]

If there's an outage, we work in it..... Like,LNF says, lightening nearby or high winds you gotta use some common sense.....

[T-Man]

LNF and Org, say it like it is. We only worked trouble where we had to make it safe for the public and if customers were out of power we worked to get them back in. Line crews usually stayed in the garage until there was a problem. Trouble did as much as they could to bandage the system or set up outages for crews replacing whatever needed to be replaced. You get to finding out weather is your friend. . . .it really rings up the ching ching and ya get to take momma out once in a while, or buy that boat or scooter you been eying up.;)

[reppy007]

Its sad to say,but there are lineman that see a few sprinkles and are ready to cab up......either you is or you aint that type of lineman:mad:

[Pootnaigle]

I bleve our contract said we wunt be denied work due to inclement weather and we sure wuznt cause thats when the real work began

[reppy007]

this is how it was done......lets cab up....the wind is blowing 60 mph and its pouring outside.............before windows in vehicles:D...https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8psv23BV9GsAtvCJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzbm ZjbHNjBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAM4MGE3ZmQzNmNlZjQx MjE4M2I3ZDhlYWQyMWMzMWFiOARncG9zAzcxBGl0A2Jpbmc-?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearc h%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dantique%2Belectrical%2Btrucks%26n %3D60%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dyfp-t-252%26fr2%3Dsb-top-images.search.yahoo.com%26nost%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic %26ri%3D71&w=512&h=512&imgurl=rlv.zcache.com%2Fvintage_millburn_electric_ company_truck_poster-r45cdecf05423408a8744e770bb5c59cc_tv2_8byvr_512.jp g&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zazzle.com%2Felectrical%2Bar t&size=49.1KB&name=%3Cb%3EVintage%3C%2Fb%3E+Millburn+%3Cb%3EElec tric%3C%2Fb%3E+Company+%3Cb%3ETruck%3C%2Fb%3E+Post ers&p=antique+electrical+trucks&oid=80a7fd36cef412183b7d8ead21c31ab8&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&fr=yfp-t-252&tt=%3Cb%3EVintage%3C%2Fb%3E+Millburn+%3Cb%3EElectr ic%3C%2Fb%3E+Company+%3Cb%3ETruck%3C%2Fb%3E+Poster s&b=61&ni=96&no=71&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=1148kdufd&sigb=1507b0n6f&sigi=13h5904hq&sigt=1241il9ic&sign=1241il9ic&.crumb=DaAu1cPf5DP&fr=yfp-t-252&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com

[bobbo]

Its sad to say,but there are lineman that see a few sprinkles and are ready to cab up......either you is or you aint that type of lineman:mad:

Whatever the the contract says do. If it's an outage situation. Test and ground and go to town. But it better be for premium time. Company provided rain gear. You do what the contract says. If they are working energized primary, it should be sticks. Working energized primary in the rain is for fools. I have been caught in downpours finishing up, it's painful and stupid. Where I am at and where I have been, you don't work in the rain. We support the conditions that it took 100 years to get. If you work in the rain and it's not emergency storm. Nor will I go nowhere if it's something different.

Clean up I have done to keep public and property safe I have done.

Remembered I was on a crew. The GF was screaming we need to get this done. Cut and kicked the pole with dark clouds coming. We had to transfer it. In my hooks transferring 3 phase dead end. Extremely painful, since that day never again. Nor would I would work in a local that permits that. This was when times were super lean and no one said this was stupid. The GF said to me it was a mistake of him. And he really appreciated what I did. But this was before these phones and radar. There is no excuse for not knowing what weather is coming.

As far as transmission. Worked while bucket loads was coming down. It was stupid. Everybody in the yard was sick that one day of half ass productivity, cost loss of productivity in the long run.

i just follow the contract. Whatever my steward says and what the hall says I do. No wishy washy interpretation. If the steward or hall says bring it in that's what happens.

See company heroes in a few years destroy our conditions. Once you do something not in the contract, you will lose conditions. And I have seen conditions go down a lot.

Large ge projects seen guys pick up bolt patterns, get material ready. Maybe dig holes. Where you could cab so often. URD installation where you throw in some cable in a hole. Throw a guy a bone if the paycheck is weather short. Seen that done. Safe to do with a few sprinkles.

in a bucket or pole with just a glove option on energized regular work, it isn't an option for me. Rather be next to my wife, not cabbed up looking at old porn and lineman farts!

[reppy007]

If there are lights out we work in it, unless the lightning is hammering close or the wind is in your opinion gusting to high to work safely, it's all left up to the common sense of the lineman on the call, I was taught early on if there was one or a thousand customers out we were to work with a sense of urgency to get them back on, working in bad weather is just one of the things that set lineman apart from most all other trades. If there are no lights out, we cab up.

Since you mentioned common sense.I had a Jy working with me,and it started to sprinkle.He mentions it and begins to show me how they did it @ George M. construction:nightmare: ....he says three or 4 of them would pull their union cards out of their wallets....so he pulles his out......then he tells me if three or four drops hit the card in so many seconds it would be time to cab up........so....you tell me what kind of a worker he was?...I couldnt believe he did that.......watching him work scared me way more than lightning ever did.....well...close to it anyway .So we continued to work .

[rob8210]

We do not normally work in the rain, unless there is power off. Obviously working in inclement weather during outages requires a bit of common sense. I don't care how much power is off when lightning is flying around, it just isn't worth it. I once got called out in a storm by the 2 man trouble crew, the senior man wanted me to change out the taps on a 3 phase square corner, 27.6kv , live. Lightning everywhere. No power off. Guess what he got told!

[Brooks]

No hot work over 600volts.

[paul maxwell]

lol did a lineman just ask "do you work in the rain",sh*t it rains all the time here,i would be more intrested in do you guys work when its sunny,if you don't want to work in the rain then you got the wrong career buddy part of the fun is getting out all weathers like bren says "you are not a sugar cube" so man up buddy and embrace the rain

[reppy007]

lol did a lineman just ask "do you work in the rain",sh*t it rains all the time here,i would be more intrested in do you guys work when its sunny,if you don't want to work in the rain then you got the wrong career buddy part of the fun is getting out all weathers like bren says "you are not a sugar cube" so man up buddy and embrace the rain

One of the main parts of being a lineman is that we work in all conditions,night and day....holidays,birthdays/ect.Noody here hasnt worked when lightning was around,sure you try to avoid it when you can.Lineman near Seattle see plenty of rain.....ask them:D

[bobbo]

lol did a lineman just ask "do you work in the rain",sh*t it rains all the time here,i would be more intrested in do you guys work when its sunny,if you don't want to work in the rain then you got the wrong career buddy part of the fun is getting out all weathers like bren says "you are not a sugar cube" so man up buddy and embrace the rain

So guys that worked preceding you for 110 years, say it's unsafe to work in rain for normal work. And if you have no option but to glove, you will glove in the rain for straight time and straight pay? We call people like you tricking rats!!!! If you show up in most of the locals where I have worked, you would be run out of town, out of state. Destroying conditions is a very bad path!!!!

[bobbo]

So guys that worked preceding you for 110 years, say it's unsafe to work in rain for normal work. And if you have no option but to glove, you will glove in the rain for straight time and straight pay? We call people like you tricking rats!!!! If you show up in most of the locals where I have worked, you would be run out of town, out of state. Destroying conditions is a very bad path!!!!

We work with no outages. Most of our stuff is banked. There is this big push for safety in my industry in the USA. The higher ups, the utilities want less manpower, less everything... And add so many safety liabilities on us, the utility lineman, and the construction lineman. It's fractionalized. Utility guys hate construction guys. UWA hates IBEW. It's nuts here. And you are saying work energized primary in the rain! Are you nuts! I was trying to figure out where you, rat, were from. Rats are company heroes that don't give a **** about working conditions, brotherhood, nothing, just to line their wallets and be company heroes. Some UK lineman came to NY, first couple weeks got killed with secondary here 120/240, We work hot and energized here. We don't kill a thing where I am at. Take your sugar cube talk and find some rat friends and talk to them. Don't post or say dumb **** when you have no idea of conditions here! We have very little union left in the U.S. Very little Union lineman left in the U.S. We don't work energized in the rain unless we have sticks. We will work in the rain until until the public and circuits are normal and safe. Sugar Cube talk is retarded!

[Hebrew]

If it's pouring and we haven't started,we don't start until it eases a bit.If we've started and it pours,we just continue but it's your choice as long as you are safe.Lightning and high winds change everything like it does for most people.

[paul maxwell]

think bobbo losing his cool a wee bit there with all the rat talk first lets go back to the ntxhands first post there was nothing in it about LIVE works so forgive me for miss understaning I forgot yous guys do that over there but over here in gods country we don't because we have learned over 100years ago to build a network that can be worked on DEAD whilst no customer is affected,second of all I dose the term rat mean someone who always have to move yards/companys?coz I think you said yourself bobbo you have been to a number of yards?i myself haven't,just been at one yard for 21 years and never even seen a broken bone in all that time from any of oor guys so belive me when I say that my guys safety is first priority not company or cash.lastly that's poor taste to bring a guys death into a post like it was his fault or something wtf man do you think he wanted to go like that!!we got a wee saying over here it gose "be your brothers keeper" something we take very seriously bobbo maybe you can try it over there buddy.

[bren guzzi]

So guys that worked preceding you for 110 years, say it's unsafe to work in rain for normal work. And if you have no option but to glove, you will glove in the rain for straight time and straight pay? We call people like you tricking rats!!!! If you show up in most of the locals where I have worked, you would be run out of town, out of state. Destroying conditions is a very bad path!!!!

Instead of getting freaked out over " sugar cube quote". ,
we stopped working live years ago.
. There are specific times when it " has to be done live" even over here.


BUT AFTER YEARS OF BEING IN THE INDUSTRY. in a lot of different country's ... You will realise that your life is worth more than your bosses profits.
KEEP WORKING LIVE. ( like we used to ) but eventually you will realise that there is a better safer way. And the " macho BS cowboy mentality. " might subside .

WE ARENT THE ENEMY.

We design lines around dead working to protect our linesmen. ( our lives are obviously more important than yours.) Eventually you guys will realise that THE ONLY REASON YOU ARE DOING YOUR LINE WORK LIVE ". Is because " you've always done it that way ". You are fooled into thinking that " it's macho"
Your lines are built to be worked on live. " ITS MORE PROFITABLE TO YOUR COMPANYS...
Instead of shooting the messenger. ....think about it.. With a cool head . ......
If it can be done in the UK, IRELAND. AND MOST OF EUROPE.
Then how come it " can't be done in the GOOD OLD USA ,,, ????

as far as I'm concerned " we are firstly al linesmen" secondly everyone's life is equal...

So why are we being protected and you aren't . ?????

We all work in the rain over here because ( there ain't many days it dosent rain. ) And the " cube of sugar " remark is a JOKE !!!!! Because if we didn't work in the rain in Northern Europe WE WOULDNT EVER WORK.
It's the same as saying we wouldn't work in the sun in Nevada .or in the snow in Canada.

[T-Man]

think bobbo losing his cool a wee bit there with all the rat talk first lets go back to the ntxhands first post there was nothing in it about LIVE works so forgive me for miss understaning I forgot yous guys do that over there but over here in gods country we don't because we have learned over 100years ago to build a network that can be worked on DEAD whilst no customer is affected,second of all I dose the term rat mean someone who always have to move yards/companys?coz I think you said yourself bobbo you have been to a number of yards?i myself haven't,just been at one yard for 21 years and never even seen a broken bone in all that time from any of oor guys so belive me when I say that my guys safety is first priority not company or cash.lastly that's poor taste to bring a guys death into a post like it was his fault or something wtf man do you think he wanted to go like that!!we got a wee saying over here it gose "be your brothers keeper" something we take very seriously bobbo maybe you can try it over there buddy.

Good post Paul. We also have redundancy in our system where we can bridge and keep most people in while we work the trouble de-energized in a clearance and in storm work we never work without rubber gloves and sleeves. Not every utility is this fortunate. We are also trained to work every condition safely.

[lewy]

We don't work in the rain unless it's an emergency. I find it hard to believe that no one works live over there, otherwise why would this company exist?
http://www.catalogmachine.com/ukusp/catalogs/live-line-working.html?gallery=true

http://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/userfiles/file/17_OPSAF-12-013_LV_Overhead_Lines.pdf

[bren guzzi]

We don't work in the rain unless it's an emergency. I find it hard to believe that no one works live over there, otherwise why would this company exist?
http://www.catalogmachine.com/ukusp/catalogs/live-line-working.html?gallery=true

http://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/userfiles/file/17_OPSAF-12-013_LV_Overhead_Lines.pdf

I have worked for Scotish power over the years...( I am still athorised under the SCOTISH Power Energy Network rules ) .S.P.E.N .
OF COURSE they have procedures for live line working. As I said WE USED TO work live. And still have the procedures in place to do so. WHAT HAS CHANGED ...." IS... " THERE HAS TO BE NO WAY IT CAN BE DONE DEAD". ( and money can never be given as a reason for working live. ).

[reppy007]

Streets are wet...it just rained,some lineman wouldnt work in it so thats why the fire dept had to step in......:D.......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KqahY4RnEA

[in the bucket]

Interesting thread. Our distro is 4 kv. We've worked it live with gloves/sleeves in the rain for emergencies. I'm talking #4 solid copper line wire, single phase runs. Always wondered what other people do.

[bobbo]

Whoever works in the rain on live hot electrical above 600 is a rat. You can work on it with sticks. That's fine. Sorry if you feel different. When 100 years before you says don't do it and you do it. Means your a company hero, double book piece of **** rat. You have no concerns about conditions and no concern about anyone else. You are probably divorced, pay alimony, don't make anything at the end of the week. Sorry for you. But we don't destroy conditions. No working in the rain for normal work! Sorry if you don't believe in that you are rat! Been that way for the history of linework! No macho belief. Just the way it is. And that's the way it has been since electricity started. The Northwest sticks in the rain. That's fine. Gloving in the rain is not allowed. If you do it, shame on you. You are destroying conditions. If you got butt hurt them you deserve it!!!

[bobbo]

I have worked for Scotish power over the years...( I am still athorised under the SCOTISH Power Energy Network rules ) .S.P.E.N .
OF COURSE they have procedures for live line working. As I said WE USED TO work live. And still have the procedures in place to do so. WHAT HAS CHANGED ...." IS... " THERE HAS TO BE NO WAY IT CAN BE DONE DEAD". ( and money can never be given as a reason for working live. ).
I don't work for Scottish Power. We work hot energized and I have done it for 20 years. Don't work in the rain energized. Because my contract says not to do it and this my union hall. We don't do it. We don't consider it. Your sugar cube is a slap in the face to anyone who is a union man. We do what the contract says! That's it!

[reppy007]

bobbo....It sounds like the Northwest sticks everything.It doesnt matter if they stick or glove....If its raining ...its still rain.Now I have heard that in the NW they even have rubber glove certifications....before working there you must be certified for that.Thats extreme to me.....a good lineman knows linework,and works safe.....but he doesnt need to be certified for everything on earth.....next might be skinning wire certifications.....shovel certifications/ect:nightmare:

[bobbo]

think bobbo losing his cool a wee bit there with all the rat talk first lets go back to the ntxhands first post there was nothing in it about LIVE works so forgive me for miss understaning I forgot yous guys do that over there but over here in gods country we don't because we have learned over 100years ago to build a network that can be worked on DEAD whilst no customer is affected,second of all I dose the term rat mean someone who always have to move yards/companys?coz I think you said yourself bobbo you have been to a number of yards?i myself haven't,just been at one yard for 21 years and never even seen a broken bone in all that time from any of oor guys so belive me when I say that my guys safety is first priority not company or cash.lastly that's poor taste to bring a guys death into a post like it was his fault or something wtf man do you think he wanted to go like that!!we got a wee saying over here it gose "be your brothers keeper" something we take very seriously bobbo maybe you can try it over there buddy.
Why give something awAy for free! Don't give your know how and knowledge up for anything. And I will never do it. Sorry Won't work energized in rain unless I get paid. Guess what, thank god everyone in my local thinks the same! We won't screw our brothers!

[bobbo]

In the U.S. And you see something is not right. Your treated criminal. I have work energized in the rain. I did it. I am never let anyone else do it. I got stuck! With hooks it's pretty painful! Bucket, it still sucks but not as bad. No man should ever do it! With our cell phones everyone can see storms coming. I finally chose my work to where they have good conditions.... Everyone top down knows what has to be done to get the power on. The top managers, dispatchers and they know what needs to be done. Not many power companies can do this! Sad, these power companies don't have a clue what needs to be done. That's not my fault. ThAts their fault. No one on this site makes what they make. So why be a hero? If your general manager makes three times as much. And the CEO makes 1000 times as much why be a hero? Just do your job? and if they don't do anything to make your job safer and better, screw them! Follow the rules your local gave you!!!!!

[rob8210]

I agree , follow your contract. It took a lot of blood sweat and tears to get the contracts we have now. Do not give up anything !!!!

[bobbo]

bobbo....It sounds like the Northwest sticks everything.It doesnt matter if they stick or glove....If its raining ...its still rain.Now I have heard that in the NW they even have rubber glove certifications....before working there you must be certified for that.Thats extreme to me.....a good lineman knows linework,and works safe.....but he doesnt need to be certified for everything on earth.....next might be skinning wire certifications.....shovel certifications/ect:nightmare:
It rains over 200 days a year.they maybe glove of under 5 kv. I am sure they have their rules there. If it's raining buckets I am sure they won't work until it passes. Those guys are outfitted with all the hot sticks they need to do the work safely. They Christmas tree with their buckets and even digger booms. They have stick trailers with cotter key pullers, pin pullers, wedding rings, all kinds of connector sticks. And they know how to use them. They don't touch the wire. In British Columbia I think that's a stick only province, same situation.

people are all screaming safety! Seriously how safe is working in the rain. You can't see through your mandated eyewear. You can't hear through your mandated hardhat because it beats like a drum. Whatever rain gear you have is going to leak and you will be soaked. Your bucket liner turns into a bathtub. Your gear smells like wet sneaker funk for weeks. I will never do that for regular work and regular time.

If I am on emergency work, all premium, that's a different story.

[bobbo]

It rains over 200 days a year.they maybe glove of under 5 kv. I am sure they have their rules there. If it's raining buckets I am sure they won't work until it passes. Those guys are outfitted with all the hot sticks they need to do the work safely. They Christmas tree with their buckets and even digger booms. They have stick trailers with cotter key pullers, pin pullers, wedding rings, all kinds of connector sticks. And they know how to use them. They don't touch the wire. In British Columbia I think that's a stick only province, same situation.

people are all screaming safety! Seriously how safe is working in the rain. You can't see through your mandated eyewear. You can't hear through your mandated hardhat because it beats like a drum. Whatever rain gear you have is going to leak and you will be soaked. Your bucket liner turns into a bathtub. Your gear smells like wet sneaker funk for weeks. I will never do that for regular work and regular time.

If I am on emergency work, all premium, that's a different story.

100kv volts of protection for every foot on a stick, they even have umbrellas to break tracking at the minimum approach on their sticks.

when you get 200+ days a year of rain. It's not wise to glove.

[Orgnizdlbr]

Bobbo, we glove 15kv on our property. Work in the rain only to restore in outage mode. We stick above 15kv. We don't stick in the rain, ever. We never expose our sticks to moisture, that's our rules here. If it's raining and we gotta restore above 15kv, we deenergize and ground.