Man was shocked yesterday.

[Minuteman]

My boss was shocked yesterday around noon. He and an apprentice were adding a circuit to an office. They were working above the dropped ceiling with one in one office and one in another. The office people was at work, but he was able to turn off the Black & Red 120/208 circuits in this 1/2" EMT. He was pushing a short piece of Blue #12 from one J-Box to another. The apprentice was at the other J-Box as they pushed the new Blue.

The apprentice had not noticed that the J-box that he was in also had a Orange and a Gray as well. The Blue went right into a wire nut on the Orange 277 circuit. He had just enough of the copper exposed in his right hand and had his left hand braising himself on some other EMTs. He had just taken off his work gloves.

There is a 1/4" burn mark on the palm of his right hand and he was sore from the jolt... and the fall. I had just finished at another job site and came right over to check on him and let him go home.

Oh, it's also his birthday. Almost his last.

 

[peter d]

As long as electricians keep working on or around live stuff, this will continue to happen.

 

[SEO]

He was very lucky that he didn't get hurt worse or even killed. I hope that they learn from this and are more carefull and pay attention to what else is in the jb that should be shut off.

 

[Buck Parrish]

That 277 is bad, esspecially a loaded up neutral.

The good thing about being on a ladder when the 277 jolt stops your heart. Is when you fall and hit the concrete floor. The the impact starts your heart back.

 

[480sparky]

Typically, death and injuries that occur working on live ciruits from a ladders aren't from the shock, it's from the resulting fall.

 

[electricguy61]

Well, I've posted this before, but here's my story of woe:

Hidden 277v hot above a tee bar ceiling, me on an 8' ladder, left hand on a 1/2" EMT, right hand pokes onto the hot wire, with elbow blocked by another conduit.

6 month apprentice saw (or heard) me frying, and had the smarts to kick the ladder out from under me. He estimates I was hooked for about 10 seconds.

I was in the hallway of a bunch of legal offices, and everyone comes running out to find out what the big thud was (me hitting the floor)

My EKG showed the after affects of the severe shock, but nothing permanent. Small third degree burn between my index and middle finger. My biceps tendon was torn away from my shoulder from the fall. It was re-attached about a year later. Cold weather isn't much fun now. I also couldn't throw anything straight for about a year. But I'm alive to tell the tail. Another few seconds and I would have been dead. Funny thing is, I knew what was happening, but couldn't do anything. Real pretty flashing in my eyes, real tight chest.

Apprentice is now a licensed journeyman, and will have a job for life with me.

 

[Minuteman]

It's never right to work hot. The j-box and conduit that he was is had the power off. The point is, never assume that just because you shut down some power, that everything is safe. Especially when there is power from more than one source.

 

[zog]

Typically, death and injuries that occur working on live ciruits from a ladders aren't from the shock, it's from the resulting fall.

Its not the fall either, it is the sudden deceleration.

 

[iwire]

Its not the fall either, it is the sudden deceleration.

http://www.instantrimshot.com/

 

[480sparky]

Its not the fall either, it is the sudden deceleration.

Not really. It's truly caused by your internal organs being smashed against your chest cavity.

 

[iwire]

Not really. It's truly caused by your internal organs being smashed against your chest cavity.

That would be the rapid deceleration of you organs.

 

[480sparky]

That would be the rapid deceleration of you organs.

Puh-Tay-toe, Pa-Tah-Toe.

 

[steelersman]

Not really. It's truly caused by your internal organs being smashed against your chest cavity.

what about cracking your head open on the floor or breaking your spine?

 

[chris kennedy]

Check this out. Do I comply, no, do I try, yes.

 

[480sparky]

what about cracking your head open on the floor or breaking your spine?

Spine against your internal organs or chest cavity.... brain against skull....
Net result is usually the same.... it's gonna be a bad day.

 

[iwire]

Puh-Tay-toe, Pa-Tah-Toe.

You wanted to be picky

 

[S'mise]

If he had bent over the end of the wire before pushing it it wouldn't have likely landed inside the wire-nut. I agree we shouldn't be working live, but sometimes we cut corners. Glad hes ok.

 

[480sparky]

You wanted to be picky

Precise, not picky.

 

[steelersman]

If he had bent over the end of the wire before pushing it it wouldn't have likely landed inside the wire-nut. I agree we shouldn't be working live, but sometimes we cut corners. Glad hes ok.

That's a good point about bending over the end of the wire. I always bend the tip of the wire, not for any safety reasons but it just seems easier to push in that way. Usually it will catch on a coupling or the connector on the other end if you don't fold it over.

 

[domnic]

277 volts

277 volts

That 277 is bad, esspecially a loaded up neutral.

The good thing about being on a ladder when the 277 jolt stops your heart. Is when you fall and hit the concrete floor. The the impact starts your heart back.

WHAT difference would a loaded up neutral make ?