pole setting live line

[staggerlee]

Just wondering about grounding digger truck for setting poles in live line. We have been using pole guards on the pole and temporary ground rods or pole bands to establish ground. Question has come up that we should be using the system neutral as the ground. We do not have Power Line techs on the pole crews in most areas so this is not easily accomplished. What is the norm? We are using Rubber Gloves for handling the pole. Thanks for any help!

[thrasher]

What the heck are you doing setting a pole in a hot line without a journeyman present. We ground the truck to either the system neutral, a tied in pole ground, or an anchor rod. A screw in ground will not gaurnetee that the upline device will lockout.

[42linehand]

We do not ground the digger derrick in my area any more . To me using a pole guard and rubber gloves and sleeves will do the job. Although it is policy that a Lineman be on the crew setting the pole. We used to have to ground all equipment, we would do this by grounding thew equipment to a system neutral a bonded down guy or a down ground I have also seen the screw in anchors you are referring to.

[topgroove]

the system nuetral would be the best ground. it would certainly clear the line fuse or open a recloser faster than a tempory screw ground which is sometimes useless and in certain soil conditions even become a hazard. class two rubber gloves and eh rated boots should always be worn.

[CPOPE]

What the heck are you doing setting a pole in a hot line without a journeyman present. We ground the truck to either the system neutral, a tied in pole ground, or an anchor rod. A screw in ground will not gaurnetee that the upline device will lockout.

Thrasher, Where you working?

In the Northeast truck {Digger Derrick} grounding is not the norm, The poles in this area are jointly owned Telephone / Electric Poles are set in Telephone maintaince areas cut and kick all the time. Always with qualified telophone journerman only. No qualified electric linemen only communication workers.

Pole setting crews should not need fully qualified electric lineworkers where they stay out of the primary zone, minimum approach, below the 40" communication worker protection zone. PPE = gloves and pole kite. Rubber and hard plastic installed on the pole installed by electric crews.

[west coast hand]

Well said swamprat they wonder why people get burned and killed in this trade so much where is this place at???????

[bashlin]

We are using Rubber Gloves for handling the pole. Thanks for any help!

wearing your rubber gloves to handle the pole is a completly different issue than weather or not your grounding the derick truck correctly..we ground to our system neutral by all accounts if possible..it actually helps to get the neutral out of the way, but..if low clearences happen to deture this..as a road or driveway..we will set up a flagging station around the low neutral..or use local law enforcement to close the road temporary..now, #6 copper has the same strength as 4aaac, but usually the bonds between the copper and aluminum usually isn't as good as directly grounding to the system neutral..

wearing rubber gloves on the ground to set the pole is usually done to protect you from a contact with the pole gound on the new pole while it is being set..but it's useless to wear them, if you don't include your rubber overshoes..because if thier is a contact..sure your hands should be fine, but those boots you have on will not protect you from a good jolt..JMO..

[Swollen Tongue]

With a rope catline and a fiberglass third stage in the boom, whats the use of grounding the truck?? Hell the relays are set so high at some of the stations out here, you can take the recloser out tie all three phase together and stomp on it and the breaker still won't lock out

[thrasher]

In this area if the phone comapny is going to set a full height joint use pole then they use a contractor that is approved by both phone and power. If the phone company is setting a short pole that does not come into the power zone then they will set it themselves. I won't speak for municipals but around here the crews setting poles in live lines have someone that is at least called a journeyman. However I have seen a 20 year old "journeyman" working for one contractor.
Grounding the truck is still done by Coops and I believe the IOU, however it is hit and miss for the different contractors, some do it all the time and others never do.

[duckhunter]

We ground the truck, use gloves and rubber booties. The lines get rubbered up before we set the poles and the OCR get set to non-reclose.

Because shit happens!

If you know the hazard and do nothing to prevent it, it ain't an accident.