# don't forget to remove your watch



## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Very lucky but good you had the PPE.


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## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

I haven't worn a watch since I got my first pager.
Now my cell phone is my clock.

When I wore a watch when I was working, it was an all plastic Casio.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Exactly what kind of PPE were you wearing that didn't cover up your watch?

Admit it, you were working live on 120v like we all do, with no PPE.


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

jza said:


> Exactly what kind of PPE were you wearing that didn't cover up your watch?
> 
> Admit it, you were working live on 120vac like we all do, with no PPE.


Reaching up to the wireway, my sleeve slid up. Not working anything hot.


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## ralpha494 (Oct 29, 2008)

sparky970 said:


> Reaching up to the wireway, my sleeve slid up. Not working anything hot.


Doesn't look like the result of not working hot.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

ralpha494 said:


> Doesn't look like the result of not working hot.


LOL seriously


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

There were live circuits in the gear, 125Vdc. We were just pulling wire.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

sparky970 said:


> There were live circuits in the gear, 125Vdc. We were just pulling wire.


Pulling wire, with live circuits present, aka, working live.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

No jewlery here..


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

jza said:


> Exactly what kind of PPE were you wearing that didn't cover up your watch?
> 
> Admit it, you were working live on 120v like we all do, with no PPE.





jza said:


> Pulling wire, with live circuits present, aka, working live.


Oh man, the world must be ending..I actually _*have to agree with jza*_ here. :thumbup:



sparky970 said:


> *There were live circuits in the gear, 125Vdc.* We were just pulling wire.


Then yes, you were working hot. I hope this did teach you a lesson, and I am glad you weren't seriously hurt. If ANYTHING in a panel or raceway is hot then guess what? 

My cinema equipment has some gotchas that I have been bit on too. The worst was a DC powered HV ignitor for a Xenon lamp. Even though the power was off to the lamphouse I forgot that the ignitor has a very large capacitor which stores a charge for a very long time. I touched one of the bulb's leads and the lamphouse at the same time..the jolt made my left arm numb for a few hours.  (If it was a full charge it would have been between 10 and 25kv.)

Even pulling wire can get you in trouble..in fact it is usually the "simplest" tasks where the most serious accidents happen.


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## Jmohl (Apr 26, 2011)

The last three places I have worked allowed no jewelry period. I haven't worn jewelry (unless you count my piercing:whistling2 on the job in years. A picture of a de-gloving of a ring finger convinced me long ago to wear no rings, and company policy won't allow me to wear a watch. As far as working it "hot" or not, I learned that lesson pretty good a while ago. Pulling some belden in through a trough, Nothing was turned on(running) so I thought I was ok. moving some wires in the trough with my screw driver, I got a massive flash and boom. After the dust cleared, (new drawers for me thanks....) I looked in the trough and found line leads from a buss bar in the machine terminated with 33 laying in the bottom. I shorted two of the three phases 480 to ground with my driver and tripped a 100A main to the mach.I will NEVER do that again.


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

Yea it is the reason I did not clean out 2 motor control panels at work the other week. In order to do it I had to open a 480v 250 amp breaker. I didn't (and still don't) have my arc flash rated work uniform at work. I asked the safety manage about it. He told me it was wrapped in red tape due to that clothing not being included in the contract with uniform company. He told me "but I can give you the arc flash gear." I said that wont do me any good with out the rated clothing. He told me if you don't feel comfortable doing it then don't. So I didn't and I documented on the work order as such. My boss and my boss's boss talked to me and said if I didn't feel comfortable doing it then my boss would have done it for me I just had to ask. I would not ask anyone to do anything for me as if something happens they can say well he has electrical training and told me it was ok.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

I don't wear hand jewelry. No watches, no wedding band, nothin. I've got earrings but I figure if I'm sticking my head into live equipment I probably deserve to die.


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

My clock is when the job is done it's quitting time.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

I have to have a watch, just habit I have worn one since I was 10.

What I wear.

http://www.timex.com/Timex-Ironman-50-Lap-Full/dp/B000SZNTLO


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Well this is me in the suit last weekend when you put it on you take off rings & watches for that reason . Any hot suit its kinda hard even if you had a watch on the gloves cover past your sleeves .

If you had gloves on with out the suit it would have covered the watch unless you had it up around your elbow .

I hate putting this stuff on but you have to today we have a electric fan in the helmet keeps your glasses from fogging up . The air blowing inside helps and we also have a radio vox/com built into this suit for communications . 

I cant wait for a air conditioned suit .



Be safe out there enjoy the photo this is a typical photo when someone takes a picture of me on the job site . Kodak Memories!!!


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## kaboler (Dec 1, 2010)

Piperunner, you don't like me, but after a picture like that, I like you!!!!!


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## kaboler (Dec 1, 2010)

I've often considered wearing my wedding ring on the job, and (outside of the high gold/soft content) I'd rather get divorced than killed at work. TYVM.


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## freeagnt54 (Aug 6, 2008)

kaboler said:


> I've often considered wearing my wedding ring on the job, and (outside of the high gold/soft content) I'd rather get divorced than killed at work. TYVM.



I know some guys who have their wedding ring tattooed on.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Pipedude, 

enlighten us

is the rope part of some ppe requirement?

~CS~


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I have always worn a watch and wedding band. I always removed either before sticking my hand or arm into any enclosure. Hot or not.
It's mistakes like this that have made the rules like they are today. If people would just think before they act, we would be able to decide for ourselves what we can and cannot wear.
I always hid my gold chain as I was concerned someone might require that I remove it. I wear it under my shirt and it is fairly short. So it could be visible if I am not careful. I have worn it places where it is not allowed. But I am not taking it off. Seems like I lose things like this when I remove them.

As far as the OP remembering. I keep a pair of 35 year old channelock's I burned up across 480 one time. Just seeing them makes me cringe.


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

chicken steve said:


> Pipedude,
> 
> enlighten us
> 
> ...


Not to mention that rope will burn nicely in an arc flash incident. :whistling2:


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

chicken steve said:


> Pipedude,
> 
> enlighten us
> 
> ...


Most likely just a precautionary tactic in case something fails and you get zapped. I'd rather get pulled off with a rope than beat with a 2x4...

Now in the case of an arc flash, that rope is toadt


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

mxslick said:


> Not to mention that rope will burn nicely in an arc flash incident. :whistling2:



Well i guess you never heard of wicking rope Kevlar fire proof rope we use it and yes its to pull you off if and when some issue comes up .

Rope doesnt burn .

We take safety one step further then most EC but its also when or if temp lights go out at night during a shut down you can find your way out just as a back up follow the yellow brick road .

Some areas we work in are tight and hot and dark its always at night at 2 am if something happens they pull me out or i can follow the rope out .
Its nice when things are as simple as a rope and you cant see !


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