Changing 4' lamps (Safety changing lights)

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Should be done with the lights off. Any reason you cannot turn off the power to the fixture?

Do not break them as they have mercury in them. Considered hazardous waste. Dispose of properly. :smile:
 
No the lights can be turned off .Our company decided to have the gentlemen who cleans the rest rooms start changing 4' tubes .(to save money ) I would have thought he would have to understand the hazards associated with this .
 
That, in my neck of the woods, is considered maintenance work, and does not need to be licensed.

Training, however, may be a different story.
 
We do this type of maintenance all the time. We do not turn off the lights due to most of these places are business that are open for work. Can't really turn the hole places down or even parts of it to change bulbs.

Good luck
 
If you're talking t5, t8, t12 two pin type lamps, a good pair of leather gloves and eye protection should be sufficient. I would go as far to say that it would be counter productive to work with hv gloves in this case. It is also a good idea to have a ground helper to hand things to and vice versa.

If you're talking HO type lamps, definitely turn off the power- those things can knock you on your butt.

NEVER EVER change lamps or work on electrical fixtures on an aluminum ladder.
 
I dont believe that a licensed or otherwise qaulified person is required to change flourescent lamps, even with the fixture live.
Basic training would however be required in order to avoid risks, this might include the following points

"Handle the lamp only by the glass part, under no circumstances touch the metal pins or lamp cap when relamping.
The outer cover or louvre of the fixture may need to be removed, no other dismantling is permitted.
Use only properly maintained steps or other access equipment, never improvise.
Wear goggles and leather gloves"

The principle risks are probably falls from a height and cuts from broken glass, not electric shock. The live contacts in a flourescent fixture are recessed and IMHO no more of a risk than the contacts in an outlet into which unqaulified persons insert plugs all the time.
Therefore I see no need for a licensed electrician.
 
K8MHZ said:
Is the 'lamp cap' the part with the notch in it so you can tell (by touching it) if the pins are straight up and down when they are in the sockets?
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Here in the UK flourescent lamps have at the ends, a lightweight metal pressing, with an insulating insert, through which the pins protrude.
This metal cap is not connected to any live part, but could become live in the event of a fault, therefore it would be unwise to touch it.
There is no notch in this part, nor is one needed for correct alignement.
Perhaps they are different in the USA ?
 
Davebones said:
Can anybody do this or does someone need to have some training before doing this ? With the lights on ?
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NFPA 70E applies.
Work on live circuits should only be performed when shutting down the circuits would create a greater hazard.
Following OSHA's LOTO, it should be ascertained that the cricuit is de-energized and until then the cruit should be considered energized.

(IMO all of the above is stupid, but it's the law.)

More importantly the training should not limit itself to working on or live parts, but also should address the proper handling and disposal of items containing hazardous materials - mercury in this case - and the proper selection of acceptable tubes as per the ballast listing. Not all tubes work with all ballast and the improper ballast-tube combination can either cause damage or significantly shorten the life of the tubes.
 
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