Ouch (Important warnings to all working around electricity)

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this post reminded me of the time i was changing a 240v smoke detector in a domestic house and asked the apprentice to switch off the lighting circuit so i could work on it ok he says thats it off.

i took the detector and base of no problem and put new base on (dont know how i managed it) then grabbed the live wire to pull down slack WHAM i am squealing like a biatch shaking like a leaf and running down stairs to kill the apprentice.

smoke detectors are on their own circuit of course but apprentice didnt think and it was my fault for not using test lamps.

lesson learned!

 
this post reminded me of the time i was changing a 240v smoke detector in a domestic house and asked the apprentice to switch off the lighting circuit so i could work on it ok he says thats it off. i took the detector and base of no problem and put new base on (dont know how i managed it) then grabbed the live wire to pull down slack WHAM i am squealing like a biatch shaking like a leaf and running down stairs to kill the apprentice.

smoke detectors are on their own circuit of course but apprentice didnt think and it was my fault for not using test lamps.

lesson learned!
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Thank you, for another example of how easy it is to make a mistake.

Doc H.

 
35 years in the trade and I can remember every shock that I have had, not something to be proud of but there again I have not had that many.

The first electrician I was apprenticed to told me ' remember Son, even when it's off it's ON....you'll live longer and one day you will thank me; plus the smell of burning flesh is horrible ' :coat

 
What about when you are handling a cable? SWA for instance? you would expect to be safe.

I was working in a quarry, I had to run a 1.5 3 core for some lighting and ther was a 35mm 4c SWA running on traywork. A simple case of running alongside the existing cable on tray. It was about 20' from the ground. You wouldn't do it now I know but I just shimmied along the RSJ with a pack of tie wraps and a pair of cutters. In one place I had to move the bigger SWA slightly with my hand to get the tie behind it. I remember a massive flash and acute pain in my right wrist. I couldnt see anything either because of the flash.

I managed to compose myself and I remember thinking that if I fell there would be broken bones. I still couldnt see but felt my way backwards along the RSJ and then got back over the handrail and down the stairs. By now there were other people about, I still couldnt see and people were talking about ambulances and hospital but I just wanted to run it under the tap. Eventually someone insisted I went. By the time I got there I could just about see. My wrist was black and when I ran it under the tap skin was just coming away in big bits. They took one look at me and asked if it was electrical. There must have been 20 or 30 waiting in A&E but I was put on a trolley and rushed straight in.

20 years later I still have the scars. Technically not a shock but an arc injury. The cable which was so neatly tied on the tray, I later found out had been lying on the floor and trucks had often driven over it. So it was all kinked and damaged internally. When I moved it to get my cable tie behind it, 2 inner cores came into contact with the steel armouring causing a big flash.

So be careful and take no chances.

 
What about when you are handling a cable? SWA for instance? you would expect to be safe.I was working in a quarry, I had to run a 1.5 3 core for some lighting and ther was a 35mm 4c SWA running on traywork. A simple case of running alongside the existing cable on tray. It was about 20' from the ground. You wouldn't do it now I know but I just shimmied along the RSJ with a pack of tie wraps and a pair of cutters. In one place I had to move the bigger SWA slightly with my hand to get the tie behind it. I remember a massive flash and acute pain in my right wrist. I couldnt see anything either because of the flash.

I managed to compose myself and I remember thinking that if I fell there would be broken bones. I still couldnt see but felt my way backwards along the RSJ and then got back over the handrail and down the stairs. By now there were other people about, I still couldnt see and people were talking about ambulances and hospital but I just wanted to run it under the tap. Eventually someone insisted I went. By the time I got there I could just about see. My wrist was black and when I ran it under the tap skin was just coming away in big bits. They took one look at me and asked if it was electrical. There must have been 20 or 30 waiting in A&E but I was put on a trolley and rushed straight in.

20 years later I still have the scars. Technically not a shock but an arc injury. The cable which was so neatly tied on the tray, I later found out had been lying on the floor and trucks had often driven over it. So it was all kinked and damaged internally. When I moved it to get my cable tie behind it, 2 inner cores came into contact with the steel armouring causing a big flash.

So be careful and take no chances.
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Thing is, how do you prevent against accidents like that? How are you supposed to tell if armoured cable is damaged internally?

 
Thing is, how do you prevent against accidents like that? How are you supposed to tell if armoured cable is damages internally?
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That was a bit of a freak accident. The biggest chance I took was not using a safe method of access. Had I fallen it would have been a lot worse! You could never know from outward appearances but I guess I was a lot more cautious after this experience!

 
Well I have done something that I thought I would never do. I have partially wired the lighting system, and left cables disconnected whilst the work progressed, the wiring is connected to the mains 3 phase board but not locked off!!

This morning whilst working on what I thought was dead circuits I got a belt that has left me with some very serious body damage. I am OK, but look like I have had a night in a torture chamber.

Moral of the story, practice what you preach, and always use a lock out kit.

 
I have burns to my arms, and my back looks like I have been thrashed with a cat of nine tails. It was the clients that turned the circuits on, they were very apologetic but it was my fault for not following the proper procedure.

My wife has gone mad with me, because I always harp on about working live, or working where others are present. To be honest if I had not been at the top of a set of ladders I think I would not be here to tell the tale, when the current went through me my muscles contracted which threw me backwards off the ladders, I still have a second or so memory loss, but I can never forget the smell of burning flesh. I am a very lucky guy, and will endeavour to lock off in future.

When I meet up with Canoeboy next week I will show him my war wounds, they actually look very severe, we could get a photo uploaded to show the result.

 
Mannie it just goes to show it can happen to the best of us or any of us. I always keep a Fluke volt stick with me and always use that to test as a last resort. I seriously will be getting some lock off gear.

 
Im sorry to say it yet again,

but the best safety device you will ever carry is a finger flick,

everytime, and on every cable before I touch it, locked off or not,

I have had kids(apprentices) laff at me, I dont care, after my biggie I have learnt to not just be scared,

but to be very respectful.!

 
many moons ago I worked with an old hand that used to always say you needed 3 small digs a year,

to keep your fear and respect,

as once you become to confident then complacanceny creeps in,

and I think we are mostly all guilty of that at some point, otherwise we would never have a small dig never mind a major one,

maybe these old guys spoke more wisdom than they were ever given credit for.!

 
Hope you make a speedy recovery.

As steps has said the old chap i used to work with allways said check it every time even if you've turned it of and walked away to do some think check it when you come back as someone else may have turned it back on.

Why did they turn it back out of interest?

 

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