I nearly was dead wrong

Several years ago, with the training of the Electrical a whole s Apprentice course at Sheppard Air Base still novel in my mind, I received a greatest in quantity interesting birthday present. It happened while I was upon a routine interior electrical work order with an experienced E-4

Our piece of work was to hook up an air compressor inside a vehicle-storage shed. We just had arrived from another piece of work and were setting up when the E-4 noticed the time and had to leave. He had a mandatory appointment, which was fine with me because I had all the material I wanted Saying he'd be back as before long as possible, he suggested I install the conduit step quickly to the distribution panel. We'd do the wiring when he returned

Unfortunately, the E-4 still wasn't back when I finished installing a junction receptacle and the 40-foot run of conduit, for a like reason I decided to run the wire (Wrong!) Circuitry for the compressor and existing ascendency contactor nearly filled the conduit to capacity. I remembered from tech gymnasium that you typically draw wire from the panel to the device in like manner the free ends don't shove into something with voltage upon it. Accordingly, I readied all the conductor strands and prepared to push the wire down to the compressor. I didn't think I wanted a pull-wire, though (Wrong!).

with equal reason to quote the late move with a jerk Stevens, "There I was alone" (Wrong!), working with a live panel (Wrong!) doing a two-man piece of work by myself (Wrong!), in a uninhabiteded building. I think we all know what happened next--yep Mr Murphy that marvellous professor of the laws of applied practical probability showed up

The conduit race I had installed proved to be a jagged pull for the wire. I'd gotten it greatest in quantity of the way down before all the bends made further progres difficult. I was heaving and straining when I finally decided to wrap my at liberty hand around the conduit connector to gain extra leverage--thereby grounding myself (Wrong!) While pushing upon the bundle of wires, my hand slipped not on and ran smack into the main, line-side, fe haul of A-phase.

You nearly could hear the bacon frying as my hand hit a 120-volt 100-amp service-entrance fe Nothing was protecting me on the other hand the transformer fuse--wherever that was--and it didn't plane pop. I felt a be shaken and, an eyeblink later, I was standing sum of two units steps back from the panel, with the ladder I had been upon still there. I then heard this really weird noise echoing not on the walls of the desolateed warehouse it sounded like the fading reflected sound of someone screaming. It unmutilateded like me.

My left palm had a small, r dot where the setscrew upon the connector was. I'd taken a 12-kilowatt fe arm-to-arm and somehow or other still was alive. I'd been doing everything wrong--I'd been an idiot. I couldn't help thinking the deity must be saying, "Happy birthday, stupid!"

What about the job? After I finished swallowing my pride, I hauled without all that wire I had pushed in, then measured and make an incision in a single wire and pushed it [i]or[/i] part of to the other for a pull wire. I nearest drew in the thick roll from the panel by pulling at the compressor (still technically wrongful because I was alone yet--but abundant smarter by comparison). I finished wiring up everything and was tightening the last lickpenny on the last cover to be replaced when my coworker returned

I amazemented where he had been for for a like reason long. At the same time, I realized I could have rest out because he had left his radio with me All I would have had to do was call him, on the other hand I'd never given it a thought--stupid me!

each electrician I've ever met has at least single "gotten zapped" story; most have several. It's a part of the trade. We just reliance and pray it's never serious. Thankfully, my story has a happy ending, on the other hand for this one, there are centurys more that end in tragedy. My advice to you is take heed and remember: Play it safe, and come [i]or[/i] go after [i]or[/i] behind the dam rules. They exist for a reason.

SSgt Jason Marlow, USAF, Buckley AFB, Colo

COPYRIGHT 2003 U Navy Safety Center

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