bphgravity
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
I can't help but find this kind of funny, considering the man is okay and no real harm done. And, I know the feeling of tight attic space in the middle of summer here in Florida! 
Stuck in the Attic
- Thread starter bphgravity
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ryan_618
Senior Member
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
Re: Stuck in the Attic
That is funny...God knows we've all spent our fair share of time in attics. I realize this an electical forum but I find the term "non-bearing truss" a bit suspect...
That is funny...God knows we've all spent our fair share of time in attics. I realize this an electical forum but I find the term "non-bearing truss" a bit suspect...
priorityone
Member
Re: Stuck in the Attic
That sounds pretty sorry i am a very skinny guy I wey 130lbs What would you recomend I do the next time I go up in the attic and that happens to me.
That sounds pretty sorry i am a very skinny guy I wey 130lbs What would you recomend I do the next time I go up in the attic and that happens to me.
Re: Stuck in the Attic
I worked with an apprentice, a few years ago. I sent him in the attic to remove a fan. I told him to take a flashlight plus the drop light, the attic was pitch dark. He didn't take the flashlight. Sure enough about a 100 feet from the access hole, he broke the lamp. He turned around and stepped in a paint bucket, his foot got stuck.
His other foot broke through the ceiling. I heard the racket, from an office worker screaming.
I went in the attic with a flashlight and rescued the kid. He was sure glad to see me.
I worked with an apprentice, a few years ago. I sent him in the attic to remove a fan. I told him to take a flashlight plus the drop light, the attic was pitch dark. He didn't take the flashlight. Sure enough about a 100 feet from the access hole, he broke the lamp. He turned around and stepped in a paint bucket, his foot got stuck.
His other foot broke through the ceiling. I heard the racket, from an office worker screaming.
I went in the attic with a flashlight and rescued the kid. He was sure glad to see me.
inspector_guy
Member
Re: Stuck in the Attic
I'm not sure which would have been worse, the heat or the insulation! Here in Louisiana, I have inspected a few homes attics in the summertime where there was inadequate ventilation, and tested the air temp in one recently where it was 146 F! It was a very low pitch roof (about 4/12) and had no turbine vents, just cornice vents. In the summers around here, most tradespeople won't go into an attic after 11 AM. There was over 20 people died from heat-exposure and heat exhaustion here in Shreveport last year. A typical Louisiana summer. This year has been cooler. Only about a dozen days with a heat index over 110.
I'm not sure which would have been worse, the heat or the insulation! Here in Louisiana, I have inspected a few homes attics in the summertime where there was inadequate ventilation, and tested the air temp in one recently where it was 146 F! It was a very low pitch roof (about 4/12) and had no turbine vents, just cornice vents. In the summers around here, most tradespeople won't go into an attic after 11 AM. There was over 20 people died from heat-exposure and heat exhaustion here in Shreveport last year. A typical Louisiana summer. This year has been cooler. Only about a dozen days with a heat index over 110.
rick5280
Senior Member
Re: Stuck in the Attic
similar suitation, but in a crawlspace instead of an attic. Friend of mine, who at the time was learning the ropes to become an electrician, crawled about 100' from the access hole. Dirt down there had not been distrubed for many years, so it was real fine. He got in trouble down there, could not crawl out, could not breath, just froze in place. Luckly someone heard him yelling for help, called 911, and they cut a hole in the floor just above him. Red face an all, he was happy to get out!
Rick Miell
similar suitation, but in a crawlspace instead of an attic. Friend of mine, who at the time was learning the ropes to become an electrician, crawled about 100' from the access hole. Dirt down there had not been distrubed for many years, so it was real fine. He got in trouble down there, could not crawl out, could not breath, just froze in place. Luckly someone heard him yelling for help, called 911, and they cut a hole in the floor just above him. Red face an all, he was happy to get out!
Rick Miell
jrdsg
Senior Member
- Location
- Vancouver, Canada
Re: Stuck in the Attic
i know i'm preaching to the choir, but it sure makes sense to take a few minutes before starting work under such potentially dangerous conditions to ensure there is a safe end to the day.
heat stress, confined space, and inadequate clean air are conditions that can cause disorientation [panic] in a hurry.
what would happen to an unlucky guy that attempted that crawlspace or attic work alone? might seem like a necessity at the time. might go home in a box.
had an accident nearby recently where at least six workers died going into a barge hold one after the other where there just wasn't enough air to breathe.
i know i'm preaching to the choir, but it sure makes sense to take a few minutes before starting work under such potentially dangerous conditions to ensure there is a safe end to the day.
heat stress, confined space, and inadequate clean air are conditions that can cause disorientation [panic] in a hurry.
what would happen to an unlucky guy that attempted that crawlspace or attic work alone? might seem like a necessity at the time. might go home in a box.
had an accident nearby recently where at least six workers died going into a barge hold one after the other where there just wasn't enough air to breathe.
Re: Stuck in the Attic
Along the same serious note with some of the others.
I worked for a company that lost an employee under a house, and almost lost one in an attic.
The under house case went like this. Service call to house early 70's, electrician goes under house to find short or what have you somewhere around 8:00 AM, around 6:00 PM home owner gets home from work and service truck is in drive way,
home owner can't find electrician and calls company, dispatcher calls police.
The electricians body was found smoking under the house between a black iron drain and 120v, had been there all day.
The attic case was not quite as bad but service man passed out from heat and had to be extracated by Fire Department.
This company made a nonnegotiable policy after this, any time work was being done in these type situations there would always be two people and one would stay at a safe place and simply talk to the other.
Roger
Along the same serious note with some of the others.
I worked for a company that lost an employee under a house, and almost lost one in an attic.
The under house case went like this. Service call to house early 70's, electrician goes under house to find short or what have you somewhere around 8:00 AM, around 6:00 PM home owner gets home from work and service truck is in drive way,
home owner can't find electrician and calls company, dispatcher calls police.
The electricians body was found smoking under the house between a black iron drain and 120v, had been there all day.
The attic case was not quite as bad but service man passed out from heat and had to be extracated by Fire Department.
This company made a nonnegotiable policy after this, any time work was being done in these type situations there would always be two people and one would stay at a safe place and simply talk to the other.
Roger
Re: Stuck in the Attic
Last Year we had a hot streak in the Willamete Valley. I spent 8 hours a day for 5 days in the attic of a residential care facility. The temp outside was 100degrees. Fortunately I could walk through most of the attic, but there were many parts i could not. Thank goodness I wore a mask. I came down about every 2 hours. I got stuck once. And I feel for that guy. I must have had at least 2 gallons of water a day.
Last Year we had a hot streak in the Willamete Valley. I spent 8 hours a day for 5 days in the attic of a residential care facility. The temp outside was 100degrees. Fortunately I could walk through most of the attic, but there were many parts i could not. Thank goodness I wore a mask. I came down about every 2 hours. I got stuck once. And I feel for that guy. I must have had at least 2 gallons of water a day.
Re: Stuck in the Attic
Some form of heat reducing ppe such as cooling vests or if insulation isn't a problem fans along with plenty of readily available fluids are required.
I use a Powercat fan wit a built in light and dual receptacles.
I am going to try the gel vests. They have rechargeable cooling cells.
Some form of heat reducing ppe such as cooling vests or if insulation isn't a problem fans along with plenty of readily available fluids are required.
I use a Powercat fan wit a built in light and dual receptacles.
I am going to try the gel vests. They have rechargeable cooling cells.
G
Guest
Guest
Re: Stuck in the Attic
I got stuck in an attic eave (soffited at that) once in the summertime working alone. I was hanging and wiring a recessed can in the soffit. I panicked, but the harder I breathed the more hopeless it became. I told myself I was going to die if I did not get out. I relaxed. Let my breath out and barely slipped out. There was the lady of the house home and I did yell but she never heard me. My only way out was to relax and focus. I won't make that mistake again! It's dangerous working alone, but not always avoidable. I never got stuck like that before or since. It was pretty hopeless with a 2x4 on my chest and one on my back. There was no budging. Whew! Glad I slipped out!
[ Note: Spelling checked in a jiffy by: ieSpell ]
I got stuck in an attic eave (soffited at that) once in the summertime working alone. I was hanging and wiring a recessed can in the soffit. I panicked, but the harder I breathed the more hopeless it became. I told myself I was going to die if I did not get out. I relaxed. Let my breath out and barely slipped out. There was the lady of the house home and I did yell but she never heard me. My only way out was to relax and focus. I won't make that mistake again! It's dangerous working alone, but not always avoidable. I never got stuck like that before or since. It was pretty hopeless with a 2x4 on my chest and one on my back. There was no budging. Whew! Glad I slipped out!
[ Note: Spelling checked in a jiffy by: ieSpell ]
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