Opps!

[beastmaster]

This job keeps getting worse. I went back to finish a job I started for a landscaper in the hollywood hills. He was supposed to supply me with a crew, No crew, so I brought my own experience groundsmen. I had just walked a big leader though and around an oak tree. It was impressive, and I was of course talking sh##. With that leader out of the way I had a tall skinny branch growing straight up with some weight on the backside and a slight lean 180 degrees from where I wanted to drop it. On the ground was a steep slope and that was where my groundman was holding the tipping line. I suggested he might want to tie a trucker hitch or hook up some pulleys. But after pulling on the line and seeing the tree moved both him and were sure he could handle it ok.
He was out of my sight, so after making a shallow face cut, I yelled back cut. I saw the cut start to open and speeded up my cut. I then saw the groundmen almost lifted in the air as the branch started going backwards over the primarys, that were about 10 feet behind me and beneath me. The piece came off the tree I was in and landed across the primarys. At first I thought maybe they weren't energized, nothing happend. Then the limb started smoking. The groundmen pulled the rope and that ##### arced and let out a pop that sounded like a canon going off, Im still only 10ft away in the tree. I hear a carwash below me, shout down.
I screwed up and I know it. I was rushing. I should of came down and tied a truckers hitch or hooked up a mechanical advantage. The groundmen couldn't get no leverage on that hill side when it started pulling him upwards.
Mean while he pulls the line again and she pops again and shoots out a green and blue fire ball. I scream at him to let that rope go.
I hear sirens and people are coming out to see what killed the power for half of hollywood, and I paniced a little bit and grabbed my stuff and bailed the hell out of there, just beating the fire truck.
I call the Landscaper, I am on the freeway heading home. He's calm, he asked me why I left? I don't know why(shell shot?)He asked me are you going to finish today, don't think so. He upset I left the branch on the wires, "you couldn't get it off?" I don't think he realizes what 12,000 Volts is. I continued the ride home and he went to deal with the aftermath.
I messed up, Its my fault, and was my responsibility. The wires didn't break. I am hoping they just turn off the power and take the branch off. I don't know if I left the scene of an accident, or if were going to get sued or fined. I offered to go back and deal with it he said he has it handled for right now. Haven't talked to him yet. I did scheduled next Saturday to finish the job. I feel like crap.

 

[KenJax Tree]

All i can say is WOW! I hope it all works out for you beast, i've hit wires before but never blew out the power.

 

[treemandan]

I am glad you didn't burn my bubba.

I guess that "climber/foreman" thing really ain't working out for you either? Don't feel bad, your are only a man... and it sure the #### looks like you could have used a couple more of those.


Of course I speak from experience, my bubba, but when the scraper is a no show and the job is technical I bail and pretty much always have even when I needed the money and it cost me money.

Now from what you said : The guy never let go of the rope even when it was on the wires?

 

[mic687]

I always try to remian cool because I am in charge of the job and don't have anyone else to rely. I just past mid point tied a sycamore limb and then got talked in to butt roping it also for extra control. I should have gone with my first thought because the butt tie caused the swing to stop and hung the the tip 3 feet over the primary. The butt was contacting the tree I was in and smoking as was the tip in the line. I took a pretty good poke while exiting the tree but had to figure out what to do so, as frustrated as I was it was my job and I was not calling someone to bail me out. I am not going to give the details because dealing with that much power is very dangerous. I was able to clear the line with no shock and no loss of power and will still take jobs close to the primarys but I am always nervous until I get it cleared. Beast you are already being hard enough on yourself so I will say this, you knew the right thing to do and in the intrest of time savings didn't do it so mark it down as a lesson and continue on. There are to many mistakes to make in life to dwell on just one, so remember it and don't do it twice.

 

[treemandan]

I always try to remian cool because I am in charge of the job and don't have anyone else to rely. I just past mid point tied a sycamore limb and then got talked in to butt roping it also for extra control. I should have gone with my first thought because the butt tie caused the swing to stop and hung the the tip 3 feet over the primary. The butt was contacting the tree I was in and smoking as was the tip in the line. I took a pretty good poke while exiting the tree but had to figure out what to do so, as frustrated as I was it was my job and I was not calling someone to bail me out. I am not going to give the details because dealing with that much power is very dangerous. I was able to clear the line with no shock and no loss of power and will still take jobs close to the primarys but I am always nervous until I get it cleared. Beast you are already being hard enough on yourself so I will say this, you knew the right thing to do and in the intrest of time savings didn't do it so mark it down as a lesson and continue on. There are to many mistakes to make in life to dwell on just one, so remember it and don't do it twice.

Not going to call someone to bail you out!!!??? May I point out just how un-American that paradigm is?

But we are not talking about corrupt investment banks, we are talkin about a single man in a life or death situation. Jeez, if you got a branch laying across the 3 phase then call the dam people who are trained and equipt to handle it.

 

[RAG66]

I am going to make an assumption, and we all know about doing that, I have been "educated" by the local utility. The law states that the utility can prosecute anyone who tampers or otherwise damages the power conductors. This information was presented to me about 15 years ago when I had made a mistake and ripped the secondary line out of a house. I was educated by the responding lineman and received a call from the utility. I was informed that they can and do prosecute people for damage and response to emergency situations. So my assumption is that most states have similar laws regarding this kind of problem. You are lucky to have your skin!! I'm no where near perfect but I error on caution, stay away from the primary conductors....

 

[treemandan]

I am going to make an assumption, and we all know about doing that, I have been "educated" by the local utility. The law states that the utility can prosecute anyone who tampers or otherwise damages the power conductors. This information was presented to me about 15 years ago when I had made a mistake and ripped the secondary line out of a house. I was educated by the responding lineman and received a call from the utility. I was informed that they can and do prosecute people for damage and response to emergency situations. So my assumption is that most states have similar laws regarding this kind of problem. You are lucky to have your skin!! I'm no where near perfect but I error on caution, stay away from the primary conductors....

You can't be prosecuted if it was an accident, if that was the case we would all be in jail, but having insurance is a good idea then you just pay the deductable and walk away instead of being carried.

 

[Zale]

Hopefully going phase to phase just popped the transformer and they can reset it. Your friend is very lucky.

 

[RAG66]

Our utility law says contractor takes responsibility for damages regardless of intent. Obviously no one intends to do damage as a contractor. Our utility also says if we are not certified, electrical hazard, tree workers, we are to stay away from trees within 15 feet of the primary conductors. If we choose to work on those trees we are subject to prosecution and liable for resulting damages if any occur. I guess it may be different in other areas, which is why I said assumption in my other post. At least in my case I'll play the safety card. If any are wondering YES I have had a small top land on the primary conductor before fortunately the lines were in a vertical format and connection was not possible, although the wires and poles for a block and a half in all directions shook hard, I about lost my cookies. I do know the feeling of possible disaster... Terror!!!

 

[chief116]

It happens Beast, no reason to let it get you down!

My old boss tossed a tiny little branch down, the wind took it straight into the primaries. It started smoking, then caught fire, then came the shotgun BOOM! Seemed like it took the power co. about 45 seconds to turn the power back on. It was a nice lesson in the power of electricity tho.

The only time we've been charged/fined by the power company is when house service wires get pulled off.

 

[ddhlakebound]

My old boss tossed a tiny little branch down, the wind took it straight into the primaries. It started smoking, then caught fire, then came the shotgun BOOM! Seemed like it took the power co. about 45 seconds to turn the power back on. It was a nice lesson in the power of electricity tho.

That was an auto-recloser (not electrical engineer terminology, just tree guy slang). Their purpose is to burn through a short, and restart the system without needing a service tech for every minor outage. They're also dangerous, because if you've got a live wire on the ground (or grounding through a tree), and you think the lines just went dead, and attempt to perform a rescue or break a connection to the line, and it suddenly becomes re-energized, well.....problems multiply.
------------------------------------

Beastmaster, glad you and your groundie both came out uninjured. Tell your groundie to be very thankful for clean dry rope. And I hope you don't end up with any issues for leaving the site. You can always tell them that the accident on the lines wasn't the problem, but the accident in your pants had to be dealt with right then.

So far I've only been the cause of one HV transformer blast, and if I remember right, it was the 2nd job I did after I left line clearance. Bounced a chunk off a LV triplex line, shook the pole attached to the LV open secondary line, and they had enough slack that they touched, and welded together instantly. It was like a giant sixty second sparkler over the road. When the transformer half a block away blew the fireworks stopped, and everybody in the neighborhood was suddenly on their lawn looking our way.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Tough one, dang. Still trying to figure why you ran off.
Jeff

 

[amert]

Can you be prosecuted? I don't know about that. But you can be held liable for cost of repairs. If you all were able to walk away, no doubt, your lucky. You really ought to say a prayer in thanks tonight. Some of you can scoff at me if you want to, but unless you've ever seen in real life, not pics or stories or videos, what that voltage can do to someone...your just real lucky today. I'm glad no one got hurt.
You should have stayed on the job to explain to the lineman what happened. Yeah I'm sure they can figure it out, but its just nice when the people involved are there to tell exactly what happened.

 

[amert]

Oh yeah, auto reclosers aren't dangerous, people messing with something they know nothing about......that's dangerous! Just sayin.

 

[mr. holden wood]

This job keeps getting worse. I went back to finish a job I started for a landscaper in the hollywood hills. He was supposed to supply me with a crew, No crew, so I brought my own experience groundsmen. I had just walked a big leader though and around an oak tree. It was impressive, and I was of course talking sh##. With that leader out of the way I had a tall skinny branch growing straight up with some weight on the backside and a slight lean 180 degrees from where I wanted to drop it. On the ground was a steep slope and that was where my groundman was holding the tipping line. I suggested he might want to tie a trucker hitch or hook up some pulleys. But after pulling on the line and seeing the tree moved both him and were sure he could handle it ok.
He was out of my sight, so after making a shallow face cut, I yelled back cut. I saw the cut start to open and speeded up my cut. I then saw the groundmen almost lifted in the air as the branch started going backwards over the primarys, that were about 10 feet behind me and beneath me. The piece came off the tree I was in and landed across the primarys. At first I thought maybe they weren't energized, nothing happend. Then the limb started smoking. The groundmen pulled the rope and that ##### arced and let out a pop that sounded like a canon going off, Im still only 10ft away in the tree. I hear a carwash below me, shout down.
I screwed up and I know it. I was rushing. I should of came down and tied a truckers hitch or hooked up a mechanical advantage. The groundmen couldn't get no leverage on that hill side when it started pulling him upwards.
Mean while he pulls the line again and she pops again and shoots out a green and blue fire ball. I scream at him to let that rope go.
I hear sirens and people are coming out to see what killed the power for half of hollywood, and I paniced a little bit and grabbed my stuff and bailed the hell out of there, just beating the fire truck.
I call the Landscaper, I am on the freeway heading home. He's calm, he asked me why I left? I don't know why(shell shot?)He asked me are you going to finish today, don't think so. He upset I left the branch on the wires, "you couldn't get it off?" I don't think he realizes what 12,000 Volts is. I continued the ride home and he went to deal with the aftermath.
I messed up, Its my fault, and was my responsibility. The wires didn't break. I am hoping they just turn off the power and take the branch off. I don't know if I left the scene of an accident, or if were going to get sued or fined. I offered to go back and deal with it he said he has it handled for right now. Haven't talked to him yet. I did scheduled next Saturday to finish the job. I feel like crap.

Damn b.m. im glad you and your g.m are stiil around to post. Whats up, why would you try that without a 4to1 or gone smaller over high voltage,why would you think for a second the lines weren't hot and then to make a bad situation even worse flee the scene. From what a have read you know yer **** but seems like all this eratic employment has lead to some really questionable situations. Can't you get a full time gig with a outfit that has a reliable crew and steady work. I wish you the best, you got really lucky, on this one.
One more thing whats up with guys so non chalant aroundpower,its really the only thing that scares me anymore. I almost walked halfway through yesterdays job with a crane. Cant imagine one dude on a rope contolling my fate.

 

[jefflovstrom]

You have working some narly stuff up there in Big Bear and Arrowhead so I know you are a Qualified Line guy. That is why it gnaws at you. Harder to swallow with all that experience.
Jeff

 

[mattfr12]

When I was like 16 Beast master I took out a live wire. Cost me around a grand. The power company setup a payment plan for me. The pole was so rotten it broke the trusses up top that hold the wire. The wire fell across my pickup truck and stupidly enough I lifted it off with a stick. I had nightmares about it after that. I had no real training at that time was just climbing with a flip line and spikes. But it will be fine not a super big deal. Live and learn.

Once you get good at trees and you eff something up it really Buggs you because you know your better than that.


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[lxt]

That was an auto-recloser (not electrical engineer terminology, just tree guy slang). Their purpose is to burn through a short, and restart the system without needing a service tech for every minor outage. They're also dangerous, because if you've got a live wire on the ground (or grounding through a tree), and you think the lines just went dead, and attempt to perform a rescue or break a connection to the line, and it suddenly becomes re-energized, well.....problems multiply.
----------------------------------

Close on the reason, actually........... they`re now using Scatamatic (scatamate) or whats known as intellirupters, usually & depending on what section of the line you are working you get what are called shots 1, 2, 3 after the 3rd its over (usually) however if you`re in a sectionalized area it will be different

The Recloser function is usually done manually & is not used to "burn through a short" that would be an auto switch which depending on where you are will blow the fuse not the transformer, if you blew a transformer a hazmat crew would show up as the oil inside is usually treated as PCB and either way will catch fire & be an ugly show!

#1, thank god you`re alright & glad to hear of a safe outcome.
#2, ANSI & OSHA require anyone working within 10ft to be qualified, if you`re outside the 10ft zone but have the ability to hit the line indirectly with tools or any part of the tree or to directly hit the line.........you should not be in that tree!!

Sooner or later they are going to enforce this by way of law as around my way 2 people have died working trees near powerlines (unqualified) the one guy caught fire in front of an elementary school, the kids needed counseled...........he had 2 or 3 kids himself, people on the news said they could hear him screaming for what seemed like forever & then he caught fire, the kids were on recess and watching him!!

stay safe & leave that #### alone!


LXT

 

[mr. holden wood]

Once you get good at trees and you eff something up it really Buggs you because you know your better than that.

So true! I beat myself up over hittin a gutter. Cant imagine cuttin off power to a few city blocks and almost killing a g.m. The walk of shame fo sure, live and learn I guess.
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[mattfr12]

Close on the reason, actually........... they`re now using Scatamatic (scatamate) or whats known as intellirupters, usually & depending on what section of the line you are working you get what are called shots 1, 2, 3 after the 3rd its over (usually) however if you`re in a sectionalized area it will be different

The Recloser function is usually done manually & is not used to "burn through a short" that would be an auto switch which depending on where you are will blow the fuse not the transformer, if you blew a transformer a hazmat crew would show up as the oil inside is usually treated as PCB and either way will catch fire & be an ugly show!

#1, thank god you`re alright & glad to hear of a safe outcome.
#2, ANSI & OSHA require anyone working within 10ft to be qualified, if you`re outside the 10ft zone but have the ability to hit the line indirectly with tools or any part of the tree or to directly hit the line.........you should not be in that tree!!

Sooner or later they are going to enforce this by way of law as around my way 2 people have died working trees near powerlines (unqualified) the one guy caught fire in front of an elementary school, the kids needed counseled...........he had 2 or 3 kids himself, people on the news said they could hear him screaming for what seemed like forever & then he caught fire, the kids were on recess and watching him!!

stay safe & leave that #### alone!


LXT

Was right across from the chief of polices house. We worked down there the next week and I asked Martin (city) manager about it. He was in a steel boom. I'm not sure he even had a permit for the work. Every time my new policy's comes in I have to fax them over to edgeworth, sweickly, and mt Lebanon.


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