Cutting around uncoated power....

[YoungTreeGuy]

So today I find my self about to trim a sugar maple over some uncoated power lines. The tree is high enough that it can be done climbing but if I fear anything... its being zapped.

Someone tried saying to just gaff out and decel if alimb touchs the line. Is there a training program or saftey book on line clearing? Something to help me understand how power works and what not to do.

 

[2chops]

I did line clearence for 6 years. So my suggestion is to either get in touch with whomever does that near you, and see if they'll give you some training. Or, if getting tingled really bothers you, maybe you could subcontract the job to a climber who's line clearance certified.

Some other suggestions are to keep your down rope pulled up and away from any line contact, tie off everything before cutting and have your groundie lower it very carefully. It's hard to say too much more about it without knowing the exact situation you're dealing with. Best I can do for now.

 

[RacerX]

Short answer, for your own safety don't do the job.

 

[YoungTreeGuy]

Short answer, for your own safety don't do the job.

Can't run from every try that has power around it. If I understand it better then I won't be so nervous. Finding information on training programs has been difficult.

Mostly worried about dropping a limb to far and frying the ground guys.

 

[ATH]

Is this a line between the poles and house? If so, most power companies (around here anyhow) will disconnect and lay the line on the ground while you are working. Otherwise, you need proper training and insulated equipment.

If you are interested in getting trained so you can legally (per OSHA) work around lines, here are a couple of places to start:

ACRT

or

EHAP training from TCIA

Oh...and just to clarify: whether there is coating on the lines or not, they are NOT insulated - that is just protective covering, not insulation.

 

[Tree Pig]

So today I find my self about to trim a sugar maple over some uncoated power lines. The tree is high enough that it can be done climbing but if I fear anything... its being zapped.

Someone tried saying to just gaff out and decel if alimb touchs the line. Is there a training program or saftey book on line clearing? Something to help me understand how power works and what not to do.

Its a prune (trim) and your on spikes? I am amazed no one commented yet.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Doesn't matter if they are coated or not, the coating is not a sufficient insulator.

Legally, without proper training, experience, and certification, you have to stay at least 10 ft from the lines and no part of the tree can be within 10 feet. Call the power company and they should assist in making the tree safe to work in.


Today's safety reading assignment: POWERLINE SAFETY

Stay safe.

 

[YoungTreeGuy]

There is no protective cover. Basicaly its two leads and the back lead has about 4 or 5 horizontal branches and the other lead I can just tie and face cut. But I have a young groundie and one that is experinced but he is a bad manger and teacher. I don't feel that they understand risk doing this job.

 

[ATH]

...I don't feel that I understand risk doing this job.

:msp_unsure:

What are you looking for here? I don't think anybody has suggested you do it as is with or without experienced groundies, have they???

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Short answer, for your own safety don't do the job.

Exactly what I was about to post. Let me add: You do not get a second chance to learn proper line clearance technique once you make your first "major mistake" doing the job. By all accepted standards, you have no business doing the job since you are not line clearance certified. You must stay at least ten feet away from lower voltage power lines and more from higher ones.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Even if someone doesn't get hurt or killed, call the power company and ask them what happens to you after you knock out their power.

These aren't suggestions, these are the legalities. No matter what happens you will be held liable at best, and either insta-cook someone or be insta-cooked from the inside out at worst….and then still be held liable.

This isn’t bugs bunny, and on to the next scene, the credits just start rolling.

Starring: Stupid

Written by: Stupid

Produced and Directed by: Stupid

Girl crying by casket wearing t-shirt that reads: “I was with Stupid.”

Don’t be Stupid.

 

[treeslayer]

So today I find my self about to trim a sugar maple over some uncoated power lines.

Someone tried saying to just gaff out and decel if alimb touchs the line.

Sounds like you need to use the powerline as a secondary TIP with a wet rope.:hmm3grin2orange:

Dude, you're gonna die, buy a lawnmower and a weedwacker and switch direction.:msp_scared:

another Darwin example.

 

[flushcut]

:after_boom:

 

[Dillweed]

I took out the power of an entire city

That's right, city of windermere, fl, including Tiger Woods house. Green flames, pretty scary. Another time I had a climber get electricuted, he cut his laces off, and barely repelled. I looked in the tree to see smoke coming out of his boot that was wedged in a crotch....Electricy is no joke!!

 

[Webbster'sTree]

I say don't do it.unless you have the power company on sence to kill the power befor you start cutting.

 

[48"BAR PINCHER]

So today I find my self about to trim a sugar maple over some uncoated power lines. The tree is high enough that it can be done climbing but if I fear anything... its being zapped.

Someone tried saying to just gaff out and decel if alimb touchs the line. Is there a training program or saftey book on line clearing? Something to help me understand how power works and what not to do.

Decel to what? The freakin ground and tree roots could be energized along with your groundies. Then you can hang in mid air from your rope till the fuse MIGHT open or branch burns off or tree catches fire then melts your rope and dumps you on the ground anyway... I could keep going here with possibilities. Heck you could be badly sunburned and half deaf from the arc flash and blast. Gaffs on a trim job?? I had a job situation almost the same as you have here last week (but no gaffs). It was an oak. Told the HO i will get a line clearance outfit to make me room so I was safe and legal to to the rest. Called the power co who always has more important things to do. Expalined my situation. They had a crew there 3 hrs later to cut back what needed to be cut so I could do the rest. Point is... ya gotta figure this stuff out before you bid the job. Educating yourself tho is always best. Def get yourself some training. Step potential is nothing to screw with let alone direct contact.

 

[cb01]

I've done line clearance. Its not some thing you can read a couple of pages on and do safely. listen to what is being said and stay the frig away untill you are trained properly.

 

[Rftreeman]

There is no protective cover. Basicaly its two leads and the back lead has about 4 or 5 horizontal branches and the other lead I can just tie and face cut. But I have a young groundie and one that is experinced but he is a bad manger and teacher. I don't feel that they understand risk doing this job.

I don't think you do either.....

 

[Rftreeman]

Its a prune (trim) and your on spikes? I am amazed no one commented yet.

more important things to discuss here other than him spiking a trim job might be the reason....

 

[Grouchy old man]

Can't run from every tree that has power around it. If I understand it better then I won't be so nervous. Finding information on training programs has been difficult.

Mostly worried about dropping a limb to far and frying the ground guys.

Until you get that training you better run- and even with training it's better to be nervous than complacent. I once saved a DOT workers life who just wasn't thinking, someone who should have had training working for the state. A major storm caused a lot of storm damage. I stopped on a road because a tree came down blocking it. I was about to turn my truck around when I see the DOT truck coming from the other direction. It was night and from my side I see electrical arcing in a few of the splits in the broken limbs of tree right in front of me, so I knew that the tree had taken down a high voltage powerline (probably 26 KV) that was still energized and it energized the wet cambium. Touch or even come near any part of that tree and you die. Keeping step potential in mind I was able to safely walk out and around to the DOT guy just as he was starting his saw. He thanked me profusely for saving more than his ass. :msp_smile:

Around here if we have any work along ROW power lines the power company will send out Big Orange with their insulated bucket trucks and hydraulically operated fiberglass pole saws. I wouldn't even want to mess with it.