hot sticks??

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Barndog

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Spring Creek Pa
Is it permissible by NFPA 70E to use wodden sticks with a metal hook for disconnecting overhead buss plugs. If not could you cite the reference please.
we were told in a class they were not to be used now our safety director is saying that was just a sales pitch to get us to buy fiberglass poles??

thanks
 
I see no reason why not as all you are doing with it is operating the lever to open the contacts and the door is closed. What is the difference between that and walking up to a disconnect switch (fused or not) that is on a wall and operating the handle?. Do you put on rubber gloves to insulate yourself from the handle?

Typically hot sticks (insulated sticks) are used to insulate ones self from an exposed energized part. These are commonly used by utility workers to open fused cutouts, solid blade disconnect switches. They still were their rubber gloves when using the hot sticks.
 
Barndog said:
Is it permissible by NFPA 70E to use wodden sticks with a metal hook for disconnecting overhead buss plugs. If not could you cite the reference please.
we were told in a class they were not to be used now our safety director is saying that was just a sales pitch to get us to buy fiberglass poles??

thanks
Click to expand...

I believe the theory is that if the wooden pole gets wet it can absorb enough moisture to be conductive above a certain voltage.
 
wbdvt said:
I see no reason why not as all you are doing with it is operating the lever to open the contacts and the door is closed. What is the difference between that and walking up to a disconnect switch (fused or not) that is on a wall and operating the handle?. Do you put on rubber gloves to insulate yourself from the handle?

Typically hot sticks (insulated sticks) are used to insulate ones self from an exposed energized part. These are commonly used by utility workers to open fused cutouts, solid blade disconnect switches. They still were their rubber gloves when using the hot sticks.
Click to expand...

yes I wear gloves. but also these sticks are out on are shop floor and anyone can and has before used them to shut machines off. also to my point we have some very old busses here where the only way to open buss to open the cover of the buss exposing live parts!!!
 
Tools used on live equipment must be rated for the voltage involved. NFPA 70E Article 100; Definitions, under "Working On".

Working On (energized electrical conductors or circuit
parts). Intentionally coming in contact with energized electrical
conductors or circuit parts with the hands, feet, or
other body parts, with tools, probes, or with test equipment,
regardless of the personal protective equipment a person is
wearing. There are two categories of “working on”: Diagnostic
(testing) is taking readings or measurements of electrical
equipment with approved test equipment that does not
require making any physical change to the equipment; repair
is any physical alteration of electrical equipment (such
as making or tightening connections, removing or replacing
components, etc.).
Click to expand...

What's the voltage rating on a wood pole with a hook? Fiberglass poles are tested, listed and consistent. Wood poles MIGHT be or COULD be, but is it?

By the way, have you ever seen lightning strike a dead tree? If wood didn't conduct, how could that happen?
Bottom line, EVERYTHING is a conductor, some things are just better at it than others.
 
Jraef said:
Tools used on live equipment must be rated for the voltage involved. NFPA 70E Article 100; Definitions, under "Working On".



What's the voltage rating on a wood pole with a hook? Fiberglass poles are tested, listed and consistent. Wood poles MIGHT be or COULD be, but is it?

By the way, have you ever seen lightning strike a dead tree? If wood didn't conduct, how could that happen?
Bottom line, EVERYTHING is a conductor, some things are just better at it than others.
Click to expand...
There is a difference between using a hookstick type device for operating a handle that is not a live component itself and is shielded in some way from live components and using a hookstick type device to directly operate live components.

If the voltage involved were only 600 volts or less - there won't be any lightning striking the tree either.
 
If I was not allowed to use a wooden hook stick to turn the bus switch off, I certainly would not use my hands....but that is allowed. No live parts involved.
 
Ah, yeah, I glossed right over the part about it being overhead bus plugs, I was just seeing the "hot stick" part of it. When I think Hot Stick, I think of MV air break pole switches.
 
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