Rubber/Leather gloves for performing hot work???

[Dave58er]

You keep beating me to the punch with bumping this tread Marc, so I'll back track a bit.:smile:

Find a place where NFPA 70E has the force of law...

I appreciate your honesty in this forum. Please don't think my comments/questions are meant to be judgemental.:smile:

 

[threephase]

I friend at work recently did his and I'm assuming he checked around.

He was too cut it, perform his work, then retap/splice.

Then he called the POCO so they could reconnect using their approved method.

Thanks alot.

 

[mdshunk]

Then he called the POCO so they could reconnect using their approved method.

If they're gonna comback to retap, it is important for you to make your temporary tap by the most cost effective means possible, as you won't get your bugs back (well, sometimes you do). For me, that means H-Taps. They cost me about 85 cents each. Insulinks are pretty cheap too... about 3 bucks each. A 4/0 split bolt or a 4/0 hot line tap might be in the 30 dollar a piece range.

 

[Minuteman]

So are electrical contractors as a rule allowed to change the wiring in the riser? masthead?

If doing so, the EC would be the one cutting & replicing into the service.

If this normally allowed without notifying POCO or are they responsible?

THanks.

Yes 3?, we cut & splice into the service on repairs and change-overs. Just put on your PPE, insure that you are not grounded as best you can, and make the connection.

 

[iwire]

Check with the particular power company before doing any work on their equipment. Many expect the EC to do the work many others don't care one way or the other and a few will have the police involved.

All I am saying is no the local rules before proceeding.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

So are electrical contractors as a rule allowed to change the wiring in the riser? masthead?

If doing so, the EC would be the one cutting & replicing into the service.

While this type of work is permitted or even required by some utilities, OSHA does not permit an electrician to do this type of live work.
Don

 

[hockeyoligist2]

I do, along with FR shirt and trousers, rubber sleeves, dielectric overshoes and arc flash shield. OSHA rules don't happen to apply to me. They certainly might to most people.

I bet that would work good with the old "Robot" dance!

I wear my gloves as long as I'm working with metal tools. Trouble shooting with meters I usually don't. I try to never work hot unless it will increase the danger.

 

[LarryFine]

Every POCO has different procedures on that. You need to call yours and ask how they handle that. I work at the intersection of 5 POCO's, and they all have slightly different rules.

The vast majority of our customers are on the main POCO (Dominion Power), but some rural areas are on CO-OP's. For them, we have to have the disconnect done by them, we get the work done, we get the work inspected, and only then does the CO-Op comes back to re-energize.

It takes a half day just to schedule everything. You'd think they would have done this often enough to have it coordinated already, but the burden is on use to arrange everything. The first time I did this, it seemed like I was the first one to ever want power back on the same day. :roll:

 

[racerdave3]

everyone on this forum said working hot is a bad idea :grin:

I agree, working hot is a bad idea. If the temperature gets over 90 degrees in the summer, I find a hammock under a tree and take it easy!

On a serious note, I find all this talk interesting about disconnecting and splicing live services. I have never done work on a live service and have always scheduled a disconnect/reconnect with the POCO. Locally we do work under 3 different POCO's. I know that one of them is extremely strict on not working on live services. When I was an apprentice, my boss was doing some work on the service outside the house when a guy from the power company just happened to be driving by and saw him at work. This guy backed up the road so fast it would make your head spin. Needless to say he went off the wall when he got to the house. Never attempted any live work under that POCO again, lol.

 

[dcspector]

When I was working for a Housing Authority as an Electrician the local POCO contracted me to do drop replacements due to deterioration of insulation, etc. 80% of the time we could not get a bucket truck in due to terrain or clearances, so I had to gaff the poles.....yes I am a certified climber. They sent me to 40 hours of field and classroom courses at the local POCO facility. When the load is off......ie."bubble pulled" voltage is all I had. I wore long sleeve shirts, 10kv rubber 14" cuff gloves and Green Mountain goatskin leather covers (gloves over the rubber ones) When one is on the pole..Height is last thing you think about voltage is the first. I just thought I would share a bit of my past with Ya'll. In summary I have worked a lot of live work, "No matter how bad your night was or how bad your personal life is, all you do is focus on what you are doing at that time with the wire...all else is forgotten". The latter was a quote from a Lineman that trained me.

 

[Oakey]

Not to change the topic but I have been looking for a new set of linesman gloves for a while and can't seem to find a decent pair. Can someone post a link or make a suggestion pls? Ty

 

[jimport]

Try this one

http://www.whsalisbury.com/

 

[tom baker]

OSHA rules don't apply in Washington state unless you are working on military base or govt employee, otherwise we are under WISHA.
And our WISHA rules don't require voltage rated gloves below 600V.

 

[tonyou812]

I dont think ive ever worn rubber to change a service on a house. Just dont do anything stupid. i think some guys think they are working on a time bomb or somthing. just make sure your not standing in a lake and dont lick the wire. Leather works fine for under 277

 

[Davis9]

I dont think ive ever worn rubber to change a service on a house. Just dont do anything stupid. i think some guys think they are working on a time bomb or somthing. just make sure your not standing in a lake and dont lick the wire. Leather works fine for under 277

I buy the Heavy rubber dish gloves , you know, the orange high voltage ones!LOL On a serious note though, be careful and take your time while working "hot". i'm not sure how OSHA can enforce if that is the way the utility asks it to be done?

Tom

 

[mdshunk]

i think some guys think they are working on a time bomb or somthing.... Leather works fine for under 277

:grin: Time bomb... funny guy! Yes, realistically the bigger potential injury would be from an arc flash. Since you're generally cutting and retapping at about shoulder level or higher, protect your eyes and face. I think most electricians that receive company uniforms are all wearing FR shirts nowadays.