[Davew]

Gutter cleaning today, touched a cable ah, thats ok it's a telephone cable. Worked my way along the gutter and came to a second thicker cable that was exposed near the wall but insulated along the length. I asked a builder working next door if he thought it was a power cable and he said yes. Yikes!! would I fry if I touched that with my carbon pole???

[Jeff Brimble]

As with ladders dont go within 1 metre of any suspect cable. Carbon fibre is one of the best conductors of electric and-  yes you could fry as if you have a grip on the pole your hand muscles contract and you cannot let go. But it hasnt happened to any wfpers in the last 10 years.

[AuRavelling79]

Gutter cleaning today, touched a cable ah, thats ok it's a telephone cable. Worked my way along the gutter and came to a second thicker cable that was exposed near the wall but insulated along the length. I asked a builder working next door if he thought it was a power cable and he said yes. Yikes!! would I fry if I touched that with my carbon pole???

Are you sure it was not insulated? It may have been wound with wire to give it strength. Don't try to touch it with your pole to find out though!

[Davew]

I have no intention of finding out, but I can see how easy it would be to snag one, I think a little research may be in order on this problem. It must be the same for builders too surely they are well insulated?? I know nothing about them (yet). Where's Jeff?

[Luke Johnson]

everybody, please get these gloves, for your lifes sake http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?cat=Electricians%20Gloves

[jeff1]

I have no intention of finding out, but I can see how easy it would be to snag one, I think a little research may be in order on this problem. It must be the same for builders too surely they are well insulated?? I know nothing about them (yet). Where's Jeff?

'DONT' Just assume the cable is insulated? the IEE 16th edition states any overhead cable must be insulated, so we all presume they are :

I always do a risk assesment every time I go onto a job, this include jobs I did 6 weeks previously.
I don't know if they have had electrical work done in that time, How long does it take you to look? SECONDS! 
We don't know if our custy who is a jack of all trades and a master of non, has just added a socket to the garage and run the cable over head with out strapping it to a catenary wire that is bolted to the wall?
We don't know if he used top grade cable or cable bought from his local pound shop.

I always presume the worse, why??? because I want to stay alive as long as I can and I have no intentions of being killed by billy the bodger. DO A RISK ASSESMENT ON EVERY JOB EVERY TIME!

Ok! lets Go to the main overhead cable that feeds the house? Does it look insulated 'YES'
Thats OK then, it doesn't matter if we touch it with our poles THINK AGAIN DODO, well you may well be as extinct as a dodo, if you think like that, what if the outer sheath of the cable has broken down, by this I mean degraded or even damaged, just in the exact spot you touch it with your pole, Then Its bye-bye Mr window cleaner can I come to your funeral?

You can't see,hear or smell electricity, but thank god one of our sences works with it : TOUCH, but touch it once and it could very well be your last.

RISK ASSESMENT guy's,it  takes 2 seconds and could well save your life, only a fool breaks the 2 second rule.

You guy's who employ staff, I would seriously think about training them, this should protect them and you in case of an accident,  it always comes back to the employer. and its not only a fine you get, in most cases its a prison sentence.

[Andy@w.c.s]

Hi Jeff
I had never even thought to say to my guys about over head cables and pole
Thanks for the tips
we will now be doing a risk assesment on every job just to make sure

Thanks Mate

[quantum cleaning]

Dont trust any cable Ive a freind who works for a utility company and and some gypos were doing a gutter job and grabbed the cable as you guessed..... crispy gypo they had to cut the power to get him off  just as well it was in the day otherwise everyone would of missed Eastenders!!! dont do it lads and  ladies

[Luke Johnson]

Is anybody going to visit this site, for anti electrocution gloves up to 26,000 volts

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?cat=Electricians%20Gloves

[jeff1]

Hi Jeff
I had never even thought to say to my guys about over head cables and pole
Thanks for the tips
we will now be doing a risk assesment on every job just to make sure

Thanks Mate

Hi Andy
See if there is any sort of training programme you could do with them, regarding the above, and get them to sign it if they pass. this way if anything was to happen, the HSE could see that you took steps to protect them as an employer, not just in overhead power cables, but putting things like warning signs out for the public etc.

[NWH]

I`m going to insulate all my fishing pole sections from the third section down,that will mean that when i use it it will always be safe.It has to be 3 sections min for me to use the fishing pole otherwise i`ll use the carbon facelift which has a fiberglass base section.

[Luke Johnson]

how do you go about insulating it? how does it work?

[NWH]

You can by it from gardiners,the same stuff that comes on the base section of the 35sl.You shrink it on by using a heat gun or paint stripper.

[Luke Johnson]

I see, so it covers over the carbon with a new surface, trouble is the electricity could arc, or jump to the next un-insulated section. You could use this method in conjunction with these gloves http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?cat=Electricians%20Gloves

[NWH]

If you wanted to you could insulate all sections if you use it at different heights all the time,but as i said unless i need at least 3 sections i stick with the carbon facelift,for 20ft or so working height that pole in the 24ft version is the dogs danglies.

[jeff1]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?MenuNo=11862&MenuName=Self+Amalgamating+Tape&FromMenu=y&doy=19m6

If you use this self Amalgamating tape, it will turn your pole into rubber, well protected for those concerned.
This tape will not only insulate your poles, but keep a spare roll in your van and any holes or splits that appear in your hoses you have a fix on hand.

[Luke Johnson]

I will prob use my fishing pole for 25ft+ work, I could insulate a few sections and use the gloves. I use the pro long alu for 25ft

[Jeff Brimble]

Ok let me ask ?
if you are using say a 50 ft pole but have a non conducting sections say mid way down. You then touch a cable with the upper sections,  how does the current pass it and reach earth ? ie Bt etc use  poles for measuring the heights of wires, the poles are non conducting glass fibre, (I have one)

[Luke Johnson]

I dont understand your question Jeff, sorry

[Jeff Brimble]

Ok lets say one of the sections is a piece of 3ft wood, how does the current travel to earth through it ?