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View Full Version : Close Call-Remeber to Ground



Mike Hanson
07-16-2007, 12:48 AM
I Have been a lineman for 35 years. Last may I almost let 2 lineman get killed.We were string in new conducter on a double conduter 795 acsr 230 v line in Surprise Az. Parelling 345 hot line. the new wire was in and we were in the prosess of clipping. Three spans away we had double deadended all three conduter and forgot to put MASTER grounds on. We started deadending the nexed angle. We applied a ground 30ft ground from the tower to the condutor then appled a short ground to the between the conduters. The two lineman started to dead end the bottom conduter when at GF drove up and told the lineman to put the 30ft ground nexed to the tower so they did that. They cut the first conduter to dead end it the line was still grounded. then they started to cut the nexed conducter But I got them stoped, and we grouned the line at the work point. We finished the deadending had a long tailgate meetting and talked about the mistakes we had made. the first was not putting are mastergrounds back on three spans away at the deadend we had just compleated the day befor. the second was not useing are bucket ground, and the 3rd was not doing a proper Tailgate before we went in the air. I Have seen induction kill 2 lineman. 345 KVA indution will pull a 2 ft arck and melt AL in seconds just think what it would have done to these to good young lineman. Grounding might take alot of time but if we forget to do it it will kill us. Mike Hanson Local 160

Koga
07-16-2007, 05:47 PM
Thanks for the reminder. Entergy in Arkansas had a fatality last year I believe from induced voltage. It is something to be aware of and take all the precautions we can.
Thanks
Koga

Ghostrider
07-17-2007, 08:15 PM
Mike

It takes a lot of courage to admit to making a mistake. We have all made mistakes in our lifes. If you want to know more about proper grounding call your local 160 they are there to help.

Mike Hanson
07-22-2007, 12:35 AM
I Made the mistake---BUT i was just woeking a l lineman the guys in the bucket were the A team they had brought in from Washington one of the guys in the bucket was the Forman and i was told that a couple of times. Mike Hanson Lineman local 160

Mike Hanson
07-23-2007, 01:33 AM
I forgot i go to the hal-l i called friday to talk to lenny but he wast in havent worked in 3 months the fishing had been great.. am building a lift for the end of the altecs so we dont have to crawl out of the buckets. MYR Safty guys love it i hope to have the testing done in a month. if it works i have a belt and hooks for sale mike hanson

buzzit125
07-23-2007, 10:12 PM
When it all goes Bad, the only thing that keeps us all alive is our rubber gloves.
Buzz here, I now work a small gov job; in a small town, it's sweet.
There are only four of us; the super, the foreman, myself,and the cub...
I have a young lineman/apprentice, going into his fourth year.
DUKE POWER come in to do some sub work and replace a gang-switch
just outside the sub. (their 69 line) All went well, we switch out the distribution side of our sub for all the work, grounds were in place (three-point)...After work was completed .. Ready to go back in service.. A young lineman for DUKE removed the grounds without a shotgun or any rubber gloves??? I seen that, and grabbed the cub and said to him, don't ever do what that man is doing right now... no stick no gloves
Two weeks later the same transmission crew had a man get burnt, removing grounds... He reach out to remove the grounds no gloves no stick, could not reach them; boomed up; got into a hot phase. Right across the pistole grip, no cover on the line??? What the F@#k... It's a big crew and they all where feeling real comfy... And must of been asleep.. Well like the bag says: always wear your gloves... Take care, and be safe...

Stinger
07-24-2007, 01:40 PM
One the most important things we do working on dead lines. The old saying "IT ANIT DEAD TILL IT'S GROUNDED". Back in 2001 when I was working for CW we had a young apprentice killed by induction taking off grounds. Long story, bottom line, lack of qualified lineman on the tower to remove the grounds. As our brother said, we need to share our close calls so we can keep ourselves reminded of the hidden hazzards of the trade. Hats off to you Mike.

billfoster67
07-25-2007, 10:51 PM
Worked for Par, handing over the line built 285 structures, 21 miles, over all kinds of primary. There was something like 15 guard structures for the primary. The guys were deadending and terminating to the switches. THe Nebraska Public Power Inspector head honcho, wanted to undo the ground from the bottom- the only set of grounds left. the guys in the Elliot were screaming at him. He also was a guy that thought the sag was wrong, the bells weren't straight up and down (in a thirty mile an hour wind). The sag was perfect, the transit said so, the tug and stop watch said so, the dynos said so, total idiot this guy. He almost was a dead polysyllabic titled management type. I hope no superintendent has him for an inspector.

I am so glad someone said something about induction and grounding. A kid in AK got burned and went into cardiac arrest. Had that paddle set to revive him. They had to induce a coma to get him right. Then he got pnuemonia after that but he is working. They had grounded one end of the line and other was soaking induction. He was an apprentice and journeyman I guess were all around. I don't know if the hall fined them or OSHA, but they could forgo there 5000 dollar fine if they went to a safety class taught by OSHA with an instructor who doesnt know what a lineman is.

With Par or whoever I worked for we slapped macs on or grounds, even if both sides of the open were grounded, who knows what the potential difference is. I have never heard of any other way. You can slap it- but I have seen people eat the bottom of an insulated bucket trying it.

I am proud of men who can admit mistakes. If I have a close call, or someone has a close call- it keeps it in your head- your awareness is heightened in situations- you become a better lineman. You get that extra set of eyes in you.

I slammed a bucket in a train tressel, skinned the knuckle, got fired. But I knew what to do lower the tires- and I grabbed the chain hoist to move the steel that got ripped. I am not going to work Chicago unless I have a radio in my truck which I didn't have. I was using my own, GPS, but that doesn't have bridge clearances. And you really don't need a 55' truck in Chicago alleys anyways.

God Bless all those who learn and keep on learning. The only perfect man was nailed to a cross.

Mike Hanson
07-26-2007, 12:07 AM
I was working for MJ in Chiscago and one of are crews took a 13-6 trunk under a 13 -4 bridge we all make mistakes and we learn by them--but when we skip grounding to get get the job done quicker. We should get out of the trade --CLAY.

Mike Hanson
07-30-2007, 08:38 AM
Clay who:rolleyes: