Gloving 12 kv off of pole

[Pootnaigle]

Geeze Swamp since when did the union make the saftey rules?Its not a union or non union issue! The utility makes the rules unless the state has done it for em.And the reason that the state does that is they realize the only thing between the lineman and certain serious injury is a pair of rubber gloves,There is no other barrier like an insulated bucket or a bakerboard to back em up if the gloves fail.I agree with you about how cumbersome and awkward a board is but I'll use one everytime before I just reach out and grab a handfulla hot primary.
Lets look at it from a different perspective. your car prolly has air bags and sealtbelts. so would you disable one of em to go on a trip? In most things that you do dont you have a backup plan If plan A kinda falls apart.? I dont see nuffin macho bout this at all I see it as ignorant and lacking a safe working attitude

[markwho]

At my company we can only glove less than 5000 volts phase to phase.
From either wood or a bucket. That makes 4kv the only voltage we can glove. I was not aware that gloving 12kv was a common practice. The places I know that do it use a baker board, not from the wood. Gloving 12kv doesn't sound like a good practice to me, even if you are using the proper gloving techniques.

I guess it is a matter of how you were trained and what you are used to. We have been gloving 13.2 phase to phase for about 25+ yrs now. We started when I was a apprentice and that is what I was taught. I never really worked sticks too much beyond a switch stick or shotgun. I feel it is safe if proper work practices and safety procedures are followed.

We do not glove anything over 4 kv from the pole. I personally have never used a baker board, but if we were to glove from the pole that is what we would use to do it. I actually think there would be an outage to do the work before we would go through the hassle.

Thats what is nice about this site, we get to hear what everyone does outside our world. I guess that is what is nice about traveling.

[PA BEN]

Still haven't had anybody tell me what "Glovin off the Pole", they WOULDN'T do. Most of ya can't or won't talk about it cause....
"It's just not Union"...therefore it's "Unsafe".

Well.....Bullshit....

Your dam right, I've never busted your balls swamp and I wont start now for being a rat, that's your business. But, I'm here to say if it wasn't for the IBEW making and demanding safety laws, Lineman would be dropping like flies and the company would be making the money. I've heard more stories about non-union contractors breaking the safety laws because it was easier to glove up and do it, then use a hot stick. Remember our laws were written in the blood of past fallen brothers, it might be a pain in the ass sometimes, but the goal is to go home every night.

[PA BEN]

It's like gun control, we have laws on the books now and if more gun law breakers would go to jail the Government wouldn't feel the need to make more gun control laws. If more Managers, foreman, lineman who cut safety corners to get the job dun and kill or mame a co-worker, would go to jail, then these cut-a-corner lineman would think twice before they cut a safety law. We the worker are to blame for the new pane in the ass safety laws coming down the pike. It's a CYA world out ther now

[Swollen Tongue]

Right on PA. Some need to check the fatality rate for linemen before organization began. Safety isn't something you do only when its convenient or doesn't impede performance numbers.

[PA BEN]

That's Right Ben. It's "Cover your own ass, and work by the rules that are out there".

AND...Until UNIVERSAL Rules are ESTABLISHED, For Lineworkers....by no less than our GOVERNMENT.....

"Ya work by the rules of where ya work". OSHA is a "Guideline"...that in the END result, is designed to "Make" Utilities and corporations...come in line.

So...

Ya all cuss me for Glovin 7620 off the pole. "Carry on".

I have no problem with you gloving 7620 off a pole, if the rules say it's OK then it's OK. Here we can only glove up to 5kv, I've gloved a lot of 5kv off a Pole. I test my gloves before each use, your just as dead at 5kv or 7620 if your gloves fail.

[PA BEN]

When you say "5KV" Ben...
Are you really sayin 4160?....Which is what? 2400, phase to ground? It's been so long since I gloved, or even SEEN 4160....I can't remember.

Our safety law states up to 5kv phase to phase. And yes it is 2400/4160.

[texas1]

when i started this line of work (1989) i was a grunt..i"ll admit i have seen 2 accidents with 2 seperate guys that were gloving 7200 off the pole.no they didnt die ,one cant hear out of one ear anymore because he lost most of it during the phase to ground flash,the other one can take his leg off at anytime and beat you with it,do i think these guys were stupid?NO of course not,they were both accidents,could they have been prevented,YES because as we all know most can be prevented,were these guys being macho,NO they were doing their job.did i learn anything YES I DID.i learned that i didnt want it to happen to me,and yes i still glove off the pole and it doesnt bother me at all.anything we do as lineman is by choice,thats our god given right.do i think b-boards r dumb?no way they r a piece of safety equipment and the guys that use them are probably good at it,the guys that use sticks,well lets just say i have never seen that done and wouldnt have a clue as to how to use them.so with that said,i have always gloved off the pole,were you have confedence in ur boards and sticks,i have that in my gloves and sleeves,i dont down your work habits so show me the same respect that i show you,were you say sticks and boards make a good lineman,I SAY SLEEVES AND GLOVES MAKE A GOOD LINEMAN TOO......

[LINEHAND]

when i started this line of work (1989) i was a grunt..i"ll admit i have seen 2 accidents with 2 seperate guys that were gloving 7200 off the pole.no they didnt die ,one cant hear out of one ear anymore because he lost most of it during the phase to ground flash,the other one can take his leg off at anytime and beat you with it,do i think these guys were stupid?NO of course not,they were both accidents,could they have been prevented,YES because as we all know most can be prevented,were these guys being macho,NO they were doing their job.did i learn anything YES I DID.i learned that i didnt want it to happen to me,and yes i still glove off the pole and it doesnt bother me at all.anything we do as lineman is by choice,thats our god given right.do i think b-boards r dumb?no way they r a piece of safety equipment and the guys that use them are probably good at it,the guys that use sticks,well lets just say i have never seen that done and wouldnt have a clue as to how to use them.so with that said,i have always gloved off the pole,were you have confedence in ur boards and sticks,i have that in my gloves and sleeves,i dont down your work habits so show me the same respect that i show you,were you say sticks and boards make a good lineman,I SAY SLEEVES AND GLOVES MAKE A GOOD LINEMAN TOO......

You really outta read your new contract it states that all workers shall have the option to use an OSHA approved insulated (Baker Board) platform!!! Just because it can be done doesnt mean it should hell you can lick a phase (out of a bucket) doesnt mean its a smart thing to do!! Even the non union contractors on property use a board. Except of course for do what it takes to make a buck Pike. I for one will be using this option Especially when John Wilder is making out with 300 million and the company is making billions! Best believe Im gonna take every saftey measure available to make sure my family continues to see my measly ole check!! Just not worth it to take a short cut! The Dallas guys have been keeping the lights on just fine using the two barrier rule and I imagine so will I/we with it! Thank you Local 69!!!!! I also imagine that is one of the work practices the new IBEW/Company saftey council will be taking a look at if not THE ONE!!!

[texas1]

just to let you know,i have read the new contract.and as we say out here,keep ur b-s rules east of the river.as i said in my reply,i dont bash anyone elses policies so dont bash mine,i know the limits of my equipment do you know yours,so dont try to work with your eyes closed,open them sometimes and maybe,just maybe you will learn a thing or two........... and buy the way,lets not forget what it really took to get this contract through to this point....alot of guys working off the pole with gloves and sleeves...so put that in your safety rules.....