# 5 Reasons to Never Work with Live Electricity



## Kelly_Guido_Gomez (Oct 9, 2015)

We follow a standard that keeps us a live a electrican, but most don't understand the hazard that come with our line of work, I believe our rule come from past fetality, it sad but we most live by these rule if it ain't safe don't do it and make it safe! This the first day of safe days please be safe out there! Don't want to ready about another fetality! Wear your PPE, pay attention to you arc flash lable, watch for that hazard ready to strick you just cause you can't see it doesn't mean it ain't there!


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## Donald_W._Kane_PE (Nov 4, 2015)

One does NOT survive electrocution....it is always fatal.


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## bullheimer (Feb 1, 2013)

1 reason to work hot: not having to shut down the store just to remove a bolt on breaker. i was nervous the first time but this time was a walk in the park. if you're hands are shaking, DONT do it! but hey, ya gotta learn sometime. of course, a little personal protective clothing and gloves are a good thing. (or i should say, would have been a good thing. at least i wore gloves and glasses! but it just popped right off too, i didn't have to pry or force it)


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## mojonomic (Jan 17, 2014)

Electrocution implies death.


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## Gatorfitz (Sep 20, 2016)

Just google electrical burns and you will have no questions. If the juice don't get you the stress will so if you can shut it down. The cemetery is full of heroes we don't need more.


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## BirminghamElec (Mar 8, 2017)

Safety first!


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## yardbird (Nov 13, 2010)

I believe in safety, but on some things it has to be asked. In the following scenario this is what I do.
At times, I am asked to go into busy offices full of secretaries at desks, and I have to check the overhead lighting there. Now, in a perfect world, I would probably be coming in there after hours, when no one is there. 
If I had to a change a ballast, you can shut down power do your thing.
But I do not live in a perfect world, and have to do it when everyone is there. My solution here in just this particular case it to work it hot, because I will take the line leads to the ballast, one at a time, unscrew the wire nut, remove the lead to the ballast, and put the wire nut back on the incoming lead. Then go to the second one and do the same thing. Takes all of five minutes to do, and the leads are covered and safe.
Now I can take the ballast out, pop the new one in, wire it up, then at the last step take the two power wires, and one at a time, holding the leads well back from the ends, put the wire nut back, then take the wire nut off the other one and repeat the same procedure.
In this way the job is done quickly, only one light is out while I am working on it, and I have not put one half or one whole office in the dark while I work on it. 
I have been an electrician for almost 30 years, and have a healthy respect for electricity, but I suspect that there will be many who will reply to the above procedure as foolhardy, but in this very isolated case, I think I must disagree. 
I would say that it is not a procedure that I would want a rookie doing, or one that does not have total concentration when he does something, but one who has done electrical work for a long period of time should be able to complete this task with no problems. I know many electrical people will preach total safety no matter what, but I suspect in a case like this, it is done more than many of them will admit.
But what do you think?


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## Jolanza (Sep 30, 2017)

70 amp 3 phase male and female connections 6' cords attached to naval commercial kitchen. Angry sailor swabbing the decks rips out the 70amp twist lock feeding a large flat grill. He destroyed the face of the female plug. He then attempted to plug the grill back in. In doing so he bent the male prongs. The only prong that survived was the ground. He plugged the ground into a 277 volt and left. I place one hand on the grill top and one on the nicely grounded metal sink. I did a dip in the gymnast world.i hung there for what seems like minutes. I could taste the fillings in my teeth. My co-worker was able to push me off with a 2 by 4. I was at the mercy of the 70 amp 3 phase 480/277 electricity. Lack of safety enforcement during military preparations.


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## Jolanza (Sep 30, 2017)

Wake up..when you are in a residential, commercial, or industrial situation the employees are engaged in tasks. Even when work is active where you are to work. Shut off and ground your circuits, and any within your "safety zone".


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## Garygood (Feb 18, 2015)

One should use a ballistic connector today
You can buy a box of them code require to have them any way now
They are cold contact plugins
No messing with wire nuts


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