Training on the release of a victim from contact of energy

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

bobsherwood

Senior Member
Location
Dallas TX
I hope you guys can help me. In my mind, I think I know how to break someone from an energized source but, I have not been trained. What sources are available to obtain proper training to release a person who is in contact with energized parts? Thank you for any help!
 
zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
ItsHot said:
Yes, I guess you have seen it. It is pretty sad. I did a thread here about "stupid" actions including the video. Maybe his death in the video will in some way save lives from people viewing it.
Click to expand...

Next time I am acting crazy on top of a train in a 3rd world country I will be sure to be careful not to touch the wires.
 
2

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
I think I know how to break someone from an energized source but, I have not been trained.
Click to expand...

Ever do any cow tipping?

Breaking someone free would depend entirely on the situation and you'd only have a short time to act. Hopefully you'd come up with something. The most important consideration would be the path. In many cases you could simply grab them and pull them free without putting yourself in the circuit.
 
Last edited:
zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
220/221 said:
Ever do any cow tipping?
Click to expand...

Yep

220/221 said:
Breaking someone free would depend entirely on the situation and you'd only have a short time to act.
Click to expand...

De-energizing the circuit is always the first thing to do.

220/221 said:
The most important consideration would be the path. In many cases you could simply grab them and pull them free without putting yourself in the circuit.
Click to expand...

And how would you know the path? Never grab a person getting shocked, if they are getting shocked and you grab them you will become part of the circuit also. If you cant de-energize the circuit use an insulated device to remove them from the circuit. It is much harder than most people think if the victim has more than 15mA flowing through them (Minimim let go current) they will have lost muscle control and may be very hard to break free.
 
M

mrcoonass

Member
live wires

live wires

xxxxxxxx!! I know that playing with electricity is dangerous but that clip is nasty.Thank god we deal with 120/240. I found the clip here xxxxxxx.
It has been removed from utube.It's just too graphic.
Anyway I once watched as another tradesman in an attic get his head in live wires while sitting next to an air handler and copper lines. Well there's no training for that and 2 seconds seems like an eternity. Which is probably how long it took me to figure out what was happening. So I grabbed his boots and yanked. He lived to tell the tale and that was his last day in construction. Lesson to be learned. Work safely and understand the potential danger in your installation.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
If you have to remove someone, I was always told, don't worry about being gentle. Smack them with a 2x4 or drop kick them if you have to. Breaking their arm or ribs could save their life.
 
zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
cowboyjwc said:
If you have to remove someone, I was always told, don't worry about being gentle. Smack them with a 2x4 or drop kick them if you have to. Breaking their arm or ribs could save their life.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, I was waiting for the old wives tale of a 2x4 to show up on this thread. When someone is stuck on a circuit and about the let go current of around 15mA (For AC) they lose control of thier muscles and the muscles contract, they literally have a "Death grip" on the energized part and hitting them with a 2x4 (If you can find one handy) will probally only break ribs and do nothing to help them get off the circuit.

Turn off the power, by far the #1 answer, part of your EEWP requires how to remove power to be discussed before the work starts, if you cant kill power use an insulated device to pull the worker free.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
George Stolz said:
I removed the link to the video. I don't see how it is relevant to the topic, and it is pretty graphic.
Click to expand...
If you're talking about the guy atop the electric train, I have the video on my 'puter, and will email it to whomever PM's and asks.

Mod Squad permitting, of course. As did the friend who sent it to me, I see it as educational, not gore-worship, so I hope it's okay.
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
zog said:
Ahhh, I was waiting for the old wives tale of a 2x4 to show up on this thread. When someone is stuck on a circuit and about the let go current of around 15mA (For AC) they lose control of thier muscles and the muscles contract, they literally have a "Death grip" on the energized part and hitting them with a 2x4 (If you can find one handy) will probally only break ribs and do nothing to help them get off the circuit.

Turn off the power, by far the #1 answer, part of your EEWP requires how to remove power to be discussed before the work starts, if you cant kill power use an insulated device to pull the worker free.
Click to expand...

Well usually if you could turn off the power that fast then, you probably could have turned it off before you started, which I agree should have been done any ways.

You would use the 2x4 or shovel handle or whatever more as a pry bar than as a bat. Though I used to always ask my boss if I could take some knock loose practice on him.:D

I actually used to keep one handy.
 
2

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
De-energizing the circuit is always the first thing to do.
Click to expand...

Duh....if it is possible to do so in a timely manner. I am guessing that the window is less than 20/30 seconds.....right? That's not a lot of time to consider options. I think, in most real life situations, the best thing to do would be to free the victim. The knock him off with a 2x4 thing doest make sense. Pry him off, maybe. Knock him out so he doesn't suffer...maybe.;)

If the circuit disconect is close and accessible of course you would turn it off. If the offending wire is visable and small enough to use your dikes, do it. If there was a way to safely short the circuit and trip the breaker, that would work also.

If you don't have the means to deenergize you may need to go to plan B, remove the victim from the circuit. This may mean kicking the ladder out from under him if he is stuck in a grid ceiling. It might mean grabbing him by the clothing and pulling him free. Just because he is locked on doesn't mean you will be. He is seriously grounded somewhere but if you remain ungrounded you will not get hurt. (I am talking about low voltage here, not that crazy power line stuff that shoots thru your shoes and sets you on fire).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top