1. Working On or Near Energized Lines
June 2012
Working on or near energized lines means a number of different things to different crews. Bare hand, hot stick, and Rubber gloving are all methods of live line maintenance and each of these processes has different meaning depending on the equipment available, the line construction and the availability of manpower. Yet each has rules specific to the task and that require a good deal of knowledge and skill to ensure safety for the men and equipment involved.

2. The job can be simple or complex:
What it is.
Where it is.
# of utilities.
Traffic level.
Traffic control.
What stays hot.
Type of help.
Equipment.
Equipment location, etc.

4. If we did a Hazard analysis for an insulator change on the transmission circuit shown here what would you list?
Emergency procedures.
Others.
Hold on the circuits?
Soft, marshy ground?
Cover up and in!
Equipment grounds.
Potential differences.

5. So who is the expert? The APPA safety manual since 1977.
ASTM Standards Electrical PE 12th ed.
ANSI A92.2 Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Aerial Devices
516 IEEE Guide for Maintenance Methods on Energized Power Lines
So who is the expert on Live Line work?
Your company is? At least OSHA says your company has to be able to supply you with a safe work place; implying that they coop is the expert. But I dare say that there is a great deal of disagreement as to what is necessary when it comes to working hot on your distribution lines.
The safety manual you use should list all of the procedures (rules) needed to do the work safely. Many areas of the safety manual can apply to working on or near energized lines. Rules on PPE, flexible cover, (or just cover up), use of aerial devices, just to mention a few areas of a safety manual.

6. The APPA safety manual since 1977.
601 Working On or Near Expose Energized Lines and Equipment.
a) Qualified employees; 1st aid, etc.
b) Two employees present,
c) 1 employee for switching, emergencies
601 Working On or Near Exposed Energized Lines and Equipment
a) Only qualified employees and trainees working under their direct supervision may work on or with exposed energized lines or parts of equipment. Only qualified employees and trainees working under their direct supervision may work in areas containing unguarded,
Un-insulated energized lines or parts of equipment operating at 50 volts or more. When employees are performing work on or associated with exposed lines or equipment energized at 50 volts or more, persons trained in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) shall be available as follows:
(1) For field work involving two or more employees at a work location, at least two trained persons shall be available. Only one trained person needs to be available if all new employees are trained in first aid and CPR within 3 months of their hiring dates.
(2) For fixed work locations such as generating stations, the number of trained persons available shall be sufficient to ensure that each employee exposed to electric shock can be reached in 4 minutes by a trained person. Where the existing number of employees is not sufficient to meet this requirement (at a remote substation, for example), all employees at the work location shall be trained.
b) At least two employees will be present while the following types of work are being performed (except as noted in (c) below):
(1) Installation, repair or removal of de-energized lines if an employee is exposed to contact with other parts energized at more than 600 volts.
(2) Installation, repair or removal of lines energized at more than 600 volts.
(3) Installation, repair or removal of equipment such as transformers, capacitors and regulators, if an employee is exposed to contact with parts energized at more than 600 volts.
(4) Work involving the use of mechanical equipment, other than insulated aerial lifts, near parts energized at more
than 600 volts.
(5) Any other work that exposes an employee to electrical hazards greater than or equal to those listed above.
c) Two employees do not need to be present in the following operations:
(1) Routine switching of circuits (if it can be done safely).
(2) Work performed with live-line tools if the employee is positioned so that they are not within reach of or otherwise exposed to energized parts.
(3) Emergency repairs necessary to safeguard the general public.
d) Only qualified employees may work on or with exposed energized lines or parts of equipment. Only qualified employees may work in areas containing unguarded, uninsulated energized lines or parts of equipment operating at 50 volts or more. When two or more employees are working on the same line section, they shall only work on or contact the same conductor at one time.
Note: An employee undergoing on-the-job training who has demonstrated the ability to perform duties safely at his level of training and who is under the direct supervision of a qualified person is considered to be a qualified person for the performance of those duties.
e) No employee may approach or take any conductive object without an insulating handle closer to exposed energized parts than the clearances set forth in Tables 6.1 through 6.5 unless the employee is insulated from the energized part or the energized part is insulated from the employee and any other conductive object at a different potential, or the employee is insulated from any other conductive object, as during live-line bare-hand work. Refer to Paragraphs 602, 606, 609, and 906 for related information. Refer to OSHA Standard 29 CFR
d) Qualified & trainees in the hot zone,
e) MAD

7. The APPA safety manual since 1977.
601 Working On or Near Expose Energized Lines and Equipment.
f) Work position
g) Connect to de-energized lines first,
h) Rings, watches, etc.
f) Employees may not work on equipment or lines in any position from which a shock or slip will tend to bring the body toward exposed parts that are at a potential different from the employee’s body.
g) In connecting de-energized equipment or lines to an energized circuit by means of a conducting wire or device, employees shall first attach the wire to the de-energized part. When disconnecting, employees shall remove the source end first. Loose conductors shall be kept away from exposed energized parts.
h) When work is performed in the vicinity of exposed energized parts of equipment, employees shall remove or render nonconductive all exposed conductive articles, such as key or watch chains, rings, or wrist watches or bands.
i) Employees shall immediately report to the nearest supervisor any defective line, apparatus or tool, or other condition, which in their judgment may be dangerous either to persons or property or likely to interrupt or delay service.
j) Electrical equipment and lines shall always be considered “live” unless they are positively known to be dead by testing and grounding. Before starting to work, preliminary inspection or test shall be made to determine what conditions exist. Care shall be exercised to handle neutral wires with the same caution that is used with energized
wires.
i) Report defective, lines, equipment,
j) Work everything as hot until you proved its not.

8. The APPA safety manual since 1977.
601 Working On or Near Expose Energized Lines and Equipment.
k) Secondary windings of CTs and series shall be shorted before the load is. . .
l) Evaluate conditions before starting
k) Secondary windings of current or series transformers shall be short-circuited before any instrument, or other device connected in the circuit, is removed or disconnected.
l) Employees must evaluate existing conditions that relate to the safety of the work to be performed before work is started.
m) When two or more employees are working on the same structure, they shall only work on or contact the same conductor at one time.
n) For additional information concerning overhead distribution and transmission requirements, refer to OSHA Standard 29 CFR
m) When two or more are working on the same structure only contact one voltage
n) Put a hold on the line before starting

9. You can’t have too much coverup!
I’ve always contended that can’t use too much cover I may have to rethink that statement.

10. 602 Flexible Protective Equipment
a) Should be considered partial pro
b) Shall not work hot unless protected
c) Differences in potential shall be
602 Flexible Protective Equipment (Rubber, Synthetics,etc.)
a) Employees shall not touch or work on any exposed energized
lines or apparatus except when wearing protective equipment approved
for the voltage to be contacted. Insulating sleeves shall be worn with
insulating gloves. Insulating sleeves need not be worn under the
following conditions:
(1) If exposed energized parts not being worked on are
insulated from the employee, and
(2) The insulation is placed from a position not exposing
the employee’s upper arm to contact with other energized
parts.
b) When work is to be done on or near energized lines, all
energized and grounded conductors or guy wires within reach of any
part of the body shall be covered with rubber protective equipment,
except that part of the conductor on which the employee is to work.
c) When working on energized lines or apparatus, work should
be done from below, if possible.
d) In applying flexible protective equipment, an employee shall
always protect the nearest and lowest wires first, protecting themselves
as they progress. The protective equipment shall extend beyond the
reach of the employee’s anticipated work position or extended reach
distance. In removing rubber protective equipment, the reverse order
shall be maintained.

14. Dear Customer Name,
This letter is in response to your request of regarding dielectric properties of the Altec®
Industries material handling jibs. Altec® aerial device and digger derrick products are designed,
manufactured, tested, and intended to be operated with reference to the applicable requirements
of the utility, telecommunication, and tree care industries and national consensus standards.
These include the American National Standards Institute/Scaffold Industry Association
ANSI/SIA A , SAE Standards and Recommended Practices, and other national
consensus standards, some of which are incorporated by reference into various Federal
Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Rules and Regulations. Altec® Aerial Devices and
digger derricks meet the intent of OSHA and industry standards, to the extent applicable, when
they are utilized in accordance with the requirements published therein. It should be noted that
the user of an Altec product, i.e. the Employer/Employee, is responsible for compliance with the
literal requirements of the OSH-Act. OSHA Rules and Regulations relative to unit operations,
and relevant to the subject request, are specifically cited in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations,
Part Vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms, 29 CFR Subpart R,
Special Industries, Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution, 29 CFR
Aerial Lifts, and 29 CFR Mechanical Equipment.
With regard to the dielectric ratings of Altec supplied jibs:
The hollow round jibs supplied on some Altec® aerial devices is not rated, and should
not be used as a hot line tool. Certain Alice® units are equipped with 4 inch square fiberglass
jibs. Other Altec® units are equipped with 3 inch round orange or yellow fiberglass jibs. These
jibs, excluding the load line (which can not be rated and tested as insulated), are designed,
manufactured, and tested by their manufacturers, in accordance with OSHA (d)(I)(iii)
and (j)(1). These tests are equivalent to those of Live Line Tools, i.e., tested to100 kV
per foot. According to the manufacturers, if these jibs are maintained, tested, stored and used per
the requirements of Live Line Tool standards, and the other standards listed above, they may be
used in the field, without the load line, as a hot line tool. However, it should be noted that
OSHA (j)(2) requires: (i) Each live-line tool shall be wiped clean and visually inspected
for defects before use each day. (ii) If any defect or contamination that could adversely affect the
insulating qualities or mechanical integrity of the live-line tool is present after wiping, the tool
shall be removed from service and examined and tested according to paragraph (j)(2)(iii) of this
section before being returned to service.
Jibs which have not been maintained, tested, stored and used per the requirements of Live
Line Tool standards, and the other standards listed above should not be considered as a live line
tool. This may include jib sections that are normally stored installed on the unit and are routinely
used for material handling. If the working jib does not meet the definition of a live line tool, it
should only be used in conjunction with other rated live line tools such as a rated phase tree, or a
rated link stick with the winch line for handling live conductors. Safe work practices such as use
of personal protective equipment, and maintenance of minimum approach distances are required
when handling live conductors with the material handling system.
Please note that Altec® only dielectrically tests the boom(s) of rated insulated Aerial Devices or
digger derricks to the applicable requirements of the above standards. We do not perform any
tests on the vendor supplied jibs. It is important to note that when working from a category B or
C insulated unit, the boom is not the operator's primary source of insulation. The operator must
use proper protective tools and equipment, rated for operations within the OSHA defined
approach distances, as his/her primary source of insulation. Additionally, all metal
components at the boom tip, including metal portions of the controls and jib structures, must be
considered to be electrically connected. If an energized conductor or object touches any part of
the boom tip, the entire boom tip must be considered energized. Similarly, if any grounded
conductor or object touches any part of the boom tip, the entire boom tip should be considered
grounded. The insulated portion of the boom can only isolate the operator from grounding
through the boom and vehicle. The pole, cross arm and other hardware must be considered by
the operator as grounded. The unit can't protect a person from current between an energized
conductor and any other conductor, ground or grounded equipment on or in contact with the pole
including the neutral wire.