bucket truck safety

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mdshunk

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Can anyone point me in the direction of some web reading that I can do on general bucket truck safety? The main tasks will be servicing small signs, parking lot lighting, and farm poles.
 

Leitmotif

Member
Re: bucket truck safety

Talk to the truck and or bucket / boom mfr. If you have both the owner and shop manuals you should get a lot of info.
 

realolman

Senior Member
Re: bucket truck safety

don't drill a hole in the bucket to let the rain water out :p

inane advice free of charge.

[ October 26, 2005, 03:50 PM: Message edited by: realolman ]
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
Re: bucket truck safety

Originally posted by realolman:
don't drill a hole in the bucket to let the rain water out :p

inane advice free of charge.
I appreciete that advice, but it troubles me. I can't tell if that's a joke, or actual safety advice. If it's a safety concern, I'd sort of like to know why it is. At least one buket has such holes field drilled. Another has had holes field drilled for a bucket heater and an umbrella mount.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Re: bucket truck safety

Originally posted by mdshunk:
Originally posted by realolman:
don't drill a hole in the bucket to let the rain water out :p

inane advice free of charge.
I appreciate that advice, but it troubles me. I can't tell if that's a joke, or actual safety advice.
It is safety advice, if the bucket truck is an insulated type the bucket will usually have a liner that has a voltage rating. Once a hole is drilled in it the rating is lost.

In this area the smaller trucks that the cable and phone guys use do not appear to be insulated, the power company trucks are insulated.

By the way if you do get an insulated boom truck it needs to be tested regularly for insulation failure.

A tip off that you are looking at an insulated truck is a fiberglass boom or a fiberglass section in the middle of a steel boom.

However do not assume that a fiberglass boom is a sure sign of an insulated unit.
 

realolman

Senior Member
Re: bucket truck safety

I believe Iwire hit the nail on the head as usual.

I kinda meant it as a bit of humor. It seems that it happens often, but you shouldn't drill holes in it for the reasons Iwire gave. They make a shower cap sort of thing to keep the rain out.

For the applications you mentioned, it probably wouldn't matter though. I'm sorry if I gave you a scare.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
Re: bucket truck safety

Originally posted by realolman:
For the applications you mentioned, it probably wouldn't matter though. I'm sorry if I gave you a scare.
I thought you might tell me that the bottoms are falling out of buckets from stress cracks originating in field drilled holes, or something like that. I didn't consider the plastic bucket liner in the insulated boom trucks. I still have bucket covers on mine, even though they have drain holes. It's just nicer not to have to lean up against a wet bucket if it's been raining. The dielectric umbrella is nice too for the rain and the sun.

I already know that mine are not insulated booms. They continue to command a high price on the secondary market. The uninsulated boom trucks are quite plentiful and reasonably priced. I don't do any high kv work (or even operate close to them) so I don't need an insulated boom. For lights and signs, the steel boom is fine I figure.
 

charlie b

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Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Muskiedog, did you happen to notice that several of the posts to which you recently responded are four to six months old? :shock: I suspect the original poster will have lost interest in the topic by now. :wink:
 
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