Author - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Submitted By -Setting pole in Hot primary
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About nine years ago we were setting a pole. the top circuit was 69kv and we had 12kv underbuilt. We had a clearance on the 69 and kept the 12 hot. The 69 was grounded, we had the 12 spread and covered. I was running the boom and we had to move the middle phase of the 69 out on to the side stabs so we could set the new pole next to it and transfer. Well the apprentice on the pole had a hard time lifting the wire out of the saddle, it was 477mcm. The journeyman on the pole told him to walk up in his belt so that he could use his legs better. Well when the apprentice did this he didn't increase his ability to lift but to push out. Well you can guess what happened, he pushed the grounded 69 phase off of the stab and it fell on to the hot 12. Now we didn't have the reclosure set for a one shot, so after it made contact it came back at us again. It gets better. We never did lock out the sub, the grounds on the 69 came asshole tight and kept it from hitting the hot 12 again. So the 69 phase is about 6 inches from the hot 12 and nobody is doing anything. I have to climb down from the boom put on my tools and grab my rubber gloves, climb past the journeyman on the pole and see if the apprentice alright. After finding out he is okay, I put on my rubber gloves have the apprentice give me the handline hook, I wrap the handline around the 69 phase give him back the hook and tell him to tie it around the pole so now we have a horse and a half. we pull the conductor back up and set the pole. Now you tell me did things go to shit in a hurry because we didn't have God nobody got hurt.