Installing a dead front on a panel.

[cornbread]

I had an electrician argue that it was more dangerous to use gloves to re-install a dead front on a live panel. Of course my first response was, why are you performing this work on a live panel? Don?t give me grief about the panel being energized?its was and energized work permit was signed?my point to him was it should not be that difficult to properly re-install the dead front if use the right tools. He, of course was complaining about the dexterity of trying to start a screw wearing gloves. I suggested the use of ?holding screwdriver? or using a threaded stud to orient the dead front. Am I wrong? Are there tricks of the trade that make using gloves easier? What are your personal opinions and experiences?

Note: my concern is we cave into the perception of greater risk by wearing PPE and not do the correct things to keep him safe.

 

[mcclary's electrical]

I had an electrician argue that it was more dangerous to use gloves to re-install a dead front on a live panel. Of course my first response was, why are you performing this work on a live panel? Don?t give me grief about the panel being energized?its was and energized work permit was signed?my point to him was it should not be that difficult to properly re-install the dead front if use the right tools. He, of course was complaining about the dexterity of trying to start a screw wearing gloves. I suggested the use of ?holding screwdriver? or using a threaded stud to orient the dead front. Am I wrong? Are there tricks of the trade that make using gloves easier? What are your personal opinions and experiences?

Note: my concern is we cave into the perception of greater risk by wearing PPE and not do the correct things to keep him safe.

Milwaukee gloves, two fingers removed, and the threaded stud works well. Bare handed is a bad idea, IMO

 

[LarryFine]

It's never occured to me that installing a dead-front panel was considered live work, even on an energized panel.

It didn't seem likely that anything conductive would get that close to energized parts. I guess I should reconsider.

 

[cowboyjwc]

It's never occured to me that installing a dead-front panel was considered live work, even on an energized panel.

It didn't seem likely that anything conductive would get that close to energized parts. I guess I should reconsider.

On some of those old Zinsco's, the dead front was very very close to the busbar when you were installing it.

I wore gloves for years, the trick is to buy gloves that fit well. I liked deer skin as I could buy them a little smaller and they would stretch and fit tight which gave me the dexterity I needed. They didn't last as long as some other gloves was the only draw back.