Changing failing (melting) epoxy insulators?

[jmann]

Does anyone have any experience changing epoxy insulators that are melting due to tracking? We have a ton of these old first era epoxy primary insulators that are failing, the rubber is dripping onto the sidewalks. Some of them are down to the fiberglass rod and that is it. I know some guys will just get right in there and change them like nothing is wrong but I have seen them fail and go phase to ground then phase to phase, not a pretty sight and not anything I wanna be in the middle of! Our management seems to think that we should be doing these jobs hot and we have been fighting it as a safety issue. Let me know if anyone knows any work methods for doing this hot. Thanks.