Power Line Worker killed in Spring Hope NC today

[Buck Parrish]

He was killed near a day care today before lunch. He worked for Lee Electrical Construction. Whom was subbed to another contractor. They said it was a common voltage used on power poles. (Only) 7,200 volts.
That's Eastern NC , down near Aberdeen NC

 

[gadfly56]

Being unafraid to display my ignorance, aren't the buckets designed to prevent grounding in the event the worker touches the line? Or is it likely he somehow touched a grounded part of the transformer while touching the line? Come to think of it, why the heck was the line hot?

 

[mkgrady]

Being unafraid to display my ignorance, aren't the buckets designed to prevent grounding in the event the worker touches the line? Or is it likely he somehow touched a grounded part of the transformer while touching the line? Come to think of it, why the heck was the line hot?

Except for new line construction I would guess the lineman is normally working on or near hot lines

 

[iwire]

The rules against live work that apply to electricians do not apply to linemen and they often work stuff hot.

 

[gadfly56]

The rules against live work that apply to electricians do not apply to linemen and they often work stuff hot.

So, they wouldn't turn it off while he was working, but once it was too late, then they killed the juice???:?

 

[iwire]

So, they wouldn't turn it off while he was working, but once it was too late, then they killed the juice???:?

They may never have turned it off. But we are really speculating here, we have almost know info at all.

I know in my area the utilities will work live up to 15,000 volts.

 

[ActionDave]

Being unafraid to display my ignorance, aren't the buckets designed to prevent grounding in the event the worker touches the line?

Yes.

Or is it likely he somehow touched a grounded part of the transformer while touching the line?

It's possible, even likely. There is not enough detail in the OP to know.

Come to think of it, why the heck was the line hot?

I'm not, nor have ever been a lineman, but I am in-lawed to two of them. They do a lot of live work. For them it is not about working hot, it's about staying out of ground. As long as they do they are safe. And truth is it's easier for them to do so than it is for those of us that work on the other side.