# Donnie's Accident website



## Donnie

Hello Members! My name is Donnie Johnson. My wife and I made a video a few years ago called "Donnie's Accident". I have a new website. I have had numerous requests on You Tube and other sites for copies of my video from safety directors. They use it for their safety programs. So I made a website! I use the video during my 'work safety' presentations when I speak at events, businesses and organizations. You can watch or download the video and read the full story of my 'experience' here. I’m not charging anything; this site is meant to help promote safety awareness by sharing my experience before during and after an electrical "Arc Blast" accident as well as reminding us what can happen if we don’t follow our safety procedures. Please feel free to share the link.

www.donniesaccident.com

You can contact me at: [email protected]
or the “Comments or Questions” box on the website.

12/25/11 - Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!!!
*12/24/11 - The DOWNLOAD VIDEO and Watch YouTube Version are now working. *


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## 480sparky

Welcome aboard, Donnie! Glad to have you on board here.

BTW, I moved your thread here to the safety forum.


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## Wireman191

Wow, I posted your youtube video just the other day on a different electrical forum, (We were discussing working hot)
A real eye opener I must say.


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## backstay

Welcome and thank you for sharing.


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## Southeast Power

OP,
You got me at "wrong type of meter and meter failed"

What was that all about?

OK, I read this:
 to check rotation was not actually a phase rotation meter but a motor rotation meter. I had never bothered to read the ‘not to be used on live circuits’ label on the bottom of the meter.

Interesting, I guess the "puff of carbon" meter is gone..


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## HARRY304E

Donnie said:


> Hello Members! My name is Donnie Johnson. My wife and I made a video a few years ago called "Donnie's Accident". I have a new website. I have had numerous requests on You Tube and other sites for copies of my video from safety directors. They use it for their safety programs. So I made a website! I use the video during my 'work safety' presentations when I speak at events, businesses and organizations. You can watch or download the video and read the full story of my 'experience' here. I’m not charging anything; this site is meant to help promote safety awareness by sharing my experience before during and after an electrical "Arc Blast" accident as well as reminding us what can happen if we don’t follow our safety procedures. Please feel free to share the link.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.donniesaccident.com
> 
> You can contact me at: [email protected]
> or the “Comments or Questions” box on the website.


Welcome to the forum Donnie...:thumbup::thumbup:


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## HARRY304E

jrannis said:


> OP,
> You got me at "wrong type of meter and meter failed"
> 
> What was that all about?
> 
> OK, I read this:
> to check rotation was not actually a phase rotation meter but a motor rotation meter. I had never bothered to read the ‘not to be used on live circuits’ label on the bottom of the meter.
> 
> Interesting, I guess the "puff of carbon" meter is gone..


It is this meter he is talking about.
*IDEAL 61-521
3 Phase Motor Rotation Tester*



*Identifies three-phase sequence*
*Indicates motor rotation*
*Checks for open phases*
*For use up to 600V*
*Meets IEC-1010 (EN61010) safety requirements*
*5 - year warranty*
*Includes carrying case*
 







*Ideal 61-521 Shown
http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/ideal/pdf/61-521_manu.pdf

*​


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## chicken steve

Knicleback was an apt choice Donny, and thank you for sharing

so many of us could be you in a heartbeat , given this flawed system where the docrtine(s) of safety come from _authority,_ and not from those actually _doing_ the work

~CS~


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## BBQ

chicken steve said:


> so many of us could be you in a heartbeat , given this flawed system where the docrtine(s) of safety come from authority, and not from those actually doing the work


So what is your solution?

You bitch all the time about the systems shortcomings but I have never once seen you suggest something better.

Have you stopped working hot?

Do you own and use PPE?


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## chicken steve

BBQ said:


> So what is your solution?
> 
> 
> 
> grass roots litigation
> 
> for instance, do you think it a _good_ idea that 70E is included in the _first _year apprenticeship?
> 
> i mean, we're talking _what_? an extra $30-40 book, right?
> 
> 
> you do realize that many electricians serve their _entire _apprenticeship without even knowing 70E _exists_, right?
> 
> 
> what, in _your_ opinion, would you conject the general consensus be BBQ?
> 
> 
> learn safety by _osmisis_?
> 
> learn safety _first and foremost_?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You bitch all the time about the systems shortcomings but I have never once seen you suggest something better.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> basically we have about _zero _input BBQ
> 
> they claim we're a democratic model, yet the corporate masters roundfile anything _they_ dislike, or don't wish to _deal _with
> 
> as i don't see anything on the horizon except the usual _blame game_ they foist upon us all, i'll just assume they wish to keep it that way
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Have you stopped working hot?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> much _less_ these days, yes....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you own and use PPE?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> an_ entire_ arc flash suit, yes
> 
> ~S~
Click to expand...


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## wildleg

thanks for posting Donnie

hope you guys have a merry Xmas


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## BBQ

wildleg said:


> thanks for posting Donnie
> 
> hope you guys have a merry Xmas


Ditto on that.


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## randomkiller

Welcome aboard Donnie!


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## 480sparky

jrannis said:


> ............Interesting, I guess the "puff of carbon" meter is gone..


Watch the video closely...... you'll see it.


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## dronai

Thanks for the video. That sends a much stronger message regarding Arc flash hazards, than all the preaching that sometimes goes on in here.


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## knowshorts

Donnie, 

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story. I think a lot of people are kind of nonchalant about safety. Hopefully your story sinks into their brains. Seriously, who would have though hooking up a meter would have done this?


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## Bkessler

knowshorts said:


> Donnie,
> 
> Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story. I think a lot of people are kind of nonchalant about safety. Hopefully your story sinks into their brains. Seriously, who would have though hooking up a meter would have done this?


I've been working safer and safer as the years go on but I really need to step it up a notch. I need to remember video's like that and the fact that there was an electrician/engineer killed a couple buildings over from where I'am working now earlier this year.


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## knowshorts

Bkessler said:


> I've been working safer and safer as the years go on but I really need to step it up a notch. I need to remember video's like that and the fact that there was an electrician/engineer killed a couple buildings over from where I'am working now earlier this year.


I know I asked before, but I can't remember if you gave an answer or not. Did you ever find out anything about Curtis' accident?


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## dronai

HARRY304E said:


> It is this meter he is talking about.
> *IDEAL 61-521*
> *3 Phase Motor Rotation Tester*
> 
> 
> 
> *Identifies three-phase sequence*
> *Indicates motor rotation*
> *Checks for open phases*
> *For use up to 600V*
> *Meets IEC-1010 (EN61010) safety requirements*
> *5 - year warranty*
> *Includes carrying case*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Ideal 61-521 Shown*
> *http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/ideal/pdf/61-521_manu.pdf*​


 
Harry's link to the PDF manual, says the meter is rated to 600V AC Cat 3 ?


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## John

What is the model number of the meter was he using?
Harry posted a IDEAL 61-521 as the meter ....is that true?


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## Bkessler

knowshorts said:


> I know I asked before, but I can't remember if you gave an answer or not. Did you ever find out anything about Curtis' accident?


He was putting some monitoring equipment around the bus of a switch gear. And got caught on it. He even brought his bag of PPE in with him and didn't use it. The DSA inspector who has worked for the university for 12 years and that I work with everyday is the one that found him.


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## Big John

dronai said:


> Harry's link to the PDF manual, says the meter is rated to 600V AC Cat 3 ?


 That jumped out at me, too. My understanding is that the CAT rating applies to all inputs of the meter, so even if the motor rotation portion says "not for connection to live circuits" it still must be able to withstand the maximum energy of that CAT rating without failing dangerously.

-John


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## Semi-Ret Electrician

I wonder how valuable a meter is that only checks motor rotation.

You would still need to verify that the power is being supplied matches the motor.

And yes, the Cat 3 label seems worthless,

The tester should be labeled much better and be fused to allow connection to 600V without a fireball.

Ideal is not a good name on that tester!


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## BBQ

chicken steve said:


> grass roots litigation
> 
> for instance, do you think it a _good_ idea that 70E is included in the _first _year apprenticeship?


How so?

Because I do sure think that an apprentice should be exposed to 70E but I am asking you how do you see this happening across the 50 states? 

For instance PA has no electrical licensing at all. 



> i mean, we're talking _what_? an extra $30-40 book, right?


Maybe $50, but I think that it should be paid for by the student. 




> you do realize that many electricians serve their _entire _apprenticeship without even knowing 70E _exists_, right?


Of course, but it has also only been around a relatively short time.



> what, in _your_ opinion, would you conject the general consensus be BBQ?
> 
> 
> 
> learn safety by _osmisis_?
> 
> learn safety _first and foremost_?


I think that like most laws, rules etc that the person has to exercise a big part of the responsibility to find out what the rules are.

Where you born know the tax laws? Traffic laws? etc.?




> basically we have about _zero _input BBQ


If the sitution was one where people were complying with the rules and still getting hurt I would say you have a legitmate complaint.

But the fact is most of the time people, even ones that know the rules well go ahead and ignore them.

From Donnie's web site.



> If I'd been wearing my gear... which I was fully trained to do and was in-between the front seats of my work van...


So he was trained. 




> they claim we're a democratic model, yet the corporate masters roundfile anything _they_ dislike, or don't wish to _deal _with


So lets hear what this suggestion you have that they will 'roundfile'?






> as i don't see anything on the horizon except the usual _blame game_ they foist upon us all, i'll just assume they wish to keep it that way


When they look at the accident reports and the majority are cases where the rules have been ignored by the workers themselves who do you think they should blame?

They already fine the employers. 


I could be off base but you come across as a guy that just wants to blame the 'nameless system' because that is what all the cool guys do but when actually asked for solutions there is nothing but silence.


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## dronai

*Phase Rotation meter*

I bought this meter about 20 yrs ago, and never used it ! 

My new job will be all 480V 3 phase !!! I will be mostly testing disconnects, MCC cabinets, motors etc. 

Is this safe ???


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## Wireman191

dronai said:


> I bought this meter about 20 yrs ago, and never used it !
> 
> My new job will be all 480V 3 phase !!! I will be mostly testing disconnects, MCC cabinets, motors etc.
> 
> Is this safe ???


 I don't see a CAT rating on it. I would throw that bad boy in the round file.
Checking rotation is what its made for, so probably no problems. In school if we had a any test equipment without a CAT rating they would take it and give us one that did.


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## dronai

Wireman191 said:


> I don't see a CAT rating on it. I would throw that bad boy in the round file.
> Checking rotation is what its made for, so probably no problems. In school if we had a any test equipment without a CAT rating they would take it and give us one that did.


 
If you are on the leads of #12 wires away from the gear, can you still have an Arc Flash ? ?


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## Wireman191

Lots of reasons for an arc flash.
I believe he was using a meter that more or less created a phase to phase short, (Made for testing motors rotation) The one you have pictured is a phase rotation meter and designed to be hooked up to live wires, so unless there is an issue in the meter it should be OK.
In the future when buying test equipment like that I would look for the CAT rating on it.:thumbsup: Heck, it might be on the back of that one.


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## Big John

dronai said:


> If you are on the leads of #12 wires away from the gear, can you still have an Arc Flash ? ?


 Without question. Phase rotation meters are cheap. A new one is all of $50.

-John


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## Donnie

These are pics of the actual meter after the blast. It is an early model of the Greenlee 5123 Motor Rotation Indicator. As I said in the story, I was using the wrong type of meter.  I am not making excuses, but I also had a Lutron 3 Phase & Motor Rotation Tester - RT-608 (though I don't think it had the 'Lutron' name on it), which is a very similar looking meter, in the truck. I can't even begin to understand or remember why I was using it. I do remember the usual: "I was in a hurry, rushing" and my complacence. The point I am trying to make though is that I was not wearing my PPE and regardless of the cause, it could have protected me!


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## HARRY304E

Donnie said:


> These are pics of the actual meter after the blast. It is an early model of the Greenlee 5123 Motor Rotation Indicator. As I said in the story, I was using the wrong type of meter.  I am not making excuses, but I also had a Lutron 3 Phase & Motor Rotation Tester - RT-608 (though I don't think it had the 'Lutron' name on it), which is a very similar looking meter, in the truck. I can't even begin to understand or remember why I was using it. I do remember the usual: "I was in a hurry, rushing" and my complacence. The point I am trying to make though is that I was not wearing my PPE and regardless of the cause, it could have protected me!
> 
> View attachment 10939
> 
> 
> View attachment 10940
> 
> 
> View attachment 10942
> 
> 
> View attachment 10941


Thank you Donnie for posting your story and posting the exact meter that you were using at the time,.

The meter that i posted previously is the wrong one i have read your story in previous threads and the IDEAL meter that i posted took the blame instead of the one you just posted and i thank you for that info.:thumbsup:

I also thank you for creating your web site so all the men can read and hopefully heed the warning that it can happen to any one of us including me the bozo that has the gear and does not always use it.

Every one should read your story more than once in fact they should save it in their favorites and read it again.


Donnie's story all of us should study this.



> Donnie’s Accident ​
> 
> My name is Donnie Johnson. I am the assistant manager of the Service Department at Borrell Electric Co., Inc. I’ve been an electrician for 28 years and I have a wonderful family. I told my wife once, just before we got married, that as long as I have these (hands) we will always have money. On Thursday, August 12th 2004, I almost lost all of this forever in an electrical explosion or “ARC BLAST”. I had 3rd degree burns down to the muscle on both arms and hands and second degree burns to my face, head and neck.
> 
> I’m not offering ‘arc flash’ education or providing safety rules or guidelines, I am simply telling what could happen if you don’t follow your safety procedures. This is about my personal experiences before, during and since the accident. Also how it affects you and those who care about and depend on you. My most severe injuries were totally preventable… if … I had been following the safety procedures and wearing the proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). A lot of safety procedures were put in place because of accidents like mine.
> 
> All of this happened to me, because I wasn't wearing my safety gear.
> 
> I have sat through safety meetings before, thinking the whole time that the only reason for the meeting was to meet some company insurance requirement or the company just trying to cover itself in case an accident happened. Once this happened to me, I realized whether or not this was the case, the things they were saying could have protected me. Honestly, if I had been wearing the personal protection equipment that was provided for me, that I was trained to use and still in the PPE bag between the front seats of my van; my trip to the hospital would have probably been just for a check-up and a few, minor burns. Although my injuries were electrical in nature, whether you are a plumber, a carpenter or a mason there are safety procedures that could protect you from injury or save your life.
> 
> As a service electrician, my duties included general trouble shooting of electrical systems. Anything from Mrs. Smith’s light switches to high-voltage work. It was the day before the first of four hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004, Thursday, August 12th. I was wiring a large, semi-trailer mounted generator to a giant frozen foods warehouse electrical system. I had the wiring in place and terminated. This is the point where I should have pulled out my fully stocked PPE bag. But I did not, due to having performed similar tests many times before and thinking “what could possibly happen as long as I am careful” and “all that gear is so hot and bulky”. This was the first problem that led to the accident. The second problem was the meter I had been using for several months to check rotation was not actually a phase rotation meter but a motor rotation meter. I had never bothered to read the ‘not to be used on live circuits’ label on the bottom of the meter. I checked the electrical rotation on the 480volt generator. I went inside the electrical room to check the building electrical rotation. I had to get to the main buss of an energized 480volt/3,000amp switch gear in order to get an accurate reading. I proceeded to open the electrical cabinet panel that would give me direct access to the main buss. I connected the first of three meter leads with large alligator type clips to the “A” phase main buss in the gear, the second clip to the “B” phase, as I clipped or started to clip the third clip, the meter failed and blew a puff of carbon into the electrical gear.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the equivalent of throwing a cup of water into the electrically energized gear…. The carbon set off a carbon arc between the three phases in the switch gear, shorting all three phases together and causing an explosion with an arc flash or blast. All of this happened in a split second. As I was being blown to the ground I actually saw a two to three foot, ball of white light or basically a ball of lightning.
> 
> The burn doctors and several arc flash experts have told me since that an arc flash explosion like this can be seven times as hot as the sun’s surface for a split second. The doctors were amazed later that my eyes were not injured, that my hearing was not damaged, because of the loud explosion from the erupting heat and I didn't inhale heat or metals (which vaporize at these temperatures) burning my lungs then solidifying. I joked with them saying “I couldn't inhale because I was SCREAMING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL”. Getting back to the accident…. I remember hearing some sizzling noise and seeing few glowing orange spots or slag, other than that it was pitch black. I could see daylight from around the exterior door of the room and I just started heading that way. I scrambled on my finger tips and toes and it felt as if something had a hold on my belt loop, like I couldn’t move fast enough. There had been two maintenance men from this facility in the electric room with me but they were on the other side of the equipment. I called out there names but didn’t hear a response. I found out later from them that they had gotten out just as the explosions started and that it had been a little longer than I had recalled from the actual explosion until I found my way out of the building. I remember standing up outside and realizing that I was hurt but I still didn’t fathom how bad. I thought to myself that this kind of thing ‘doesn’t happen to me’. I looked up at the building and listened and realized that the power was off, thinking “oh NO, this is where all the frozen food in Tampa is stored before it gets to the grocery stores!” “Maybe I can jump the generator wiring directly to the switch gear to get them at least some power back on”. Like I said I didn’t realize how badly I was hurt and I’m sure shock had set in. Just then I turned around and saw several people from the warehouse management running towards me. I said something about the power and they said “forget the power, get him in the cooler”. They kind of corralled around me and led me into the freezer warehouse. I was now starting to realize just how badly I had been injured. The odd thing was that I was still conscious, carrying on conversations and not in pain. I found out later that with burns as severe as mine, the small nerve endings are damaged and you do not ‘feel’ the pain. Finally looking at my arms and hands, I knew I couldn’t even try to stick them in my pockets to reach my phone. I also realized that the side of my head had been burnt. I asked one of the guys to fish my phone from my pocket, call my wife and hold it up to my good ear. After looking up at my ears, he gave me the blankest stare I have ever seen. He said “you have a good ear!” I could see fright in his eyes so I assured him that I was ok, to tell my wife I’d been in an accident but that I was up, walking, talking and that I would be transported to Tampa General Hospital. I remember actually telling the guy that was helping me to go throw my gloves and safety equipment into the electrical room so that it looked like I had at least made an attempt to follow safety procedures. Very Sad.
> 
> I continued talking and even trying to joke with the guys until the ambulance arrived. The paramedics came in and had me lie down on a pallet of boxes. They proceeded to cut my shirt away from my body and cut my jeans up each pant leg. They were discussing calling in a helicopter medi-vac. I thought, “Wow, I had never been in a helicopter before”. Like I’ve said already… I was in shock. The paramedics decided to transport me by ground. As they moved me from the freezer into the ambulance at normal outside temperatures, it wasn’t really pain but the heat overwhelmed me! I remember telling the medic “Man, You have to do something its 900 degrees!” I saw him flick a syringe a couple of times as he said “don’t worry Mr. Johnson; we’ll take care of you”. After that I dimly remember the bumpy ride to the hospital.
> 
> My wife and one of the owners of my company were waiting at the emergency room drive through, checking each ambulance as they pulled up. My wife recognized my boots sitting near the stretcher in the in the ambulance, otherwise I was not recognizable. As they wheeled me into the hospital vaguely remember seeing my wife.
> 
> The doctors surrounded me they told my wife that if she needed to talk to me, she must to do it now because they needed to insert a breathing tube and further sedate me. Because of the swelling from the burns my wind pipe would soon swell shut. She called my name, I told her I love her and that I didn’t understand what happened.
> 
> All of this happened, because I wasn’t wearing my safety gear.
> 
> I must tell you that from this point on I am relying on the journal my wife wrote and the experience of my family and friends. I personally don’t remember anything else for about a month and half. After the breathing tube was inserted and I was sedated, the doctors had to make an incision the entire length of each arm in order to relieve the swelling. They told my wife that I should be out of the hospital in about two weeks.
> 
> And remember, all the while, Hurricane Charlie was barreling for Tampa! My company sent a crew over to secure my yard. The next day the area we live in was evacuated. I couldn’t be there to provide help or ‘be the man for my family’. Tampa general hospital had limited access for employees only since the bridges might flood. Over the next couple of days I became very swollen and was looking bad. My dad came to see me for the first time, and a usually unemotional man was visibly upset. On the fifth day the surgeons grafted skin from my right leg to my right arm. All went well and I was due to have the breathing tube removed within a day or two. My mother and step father came to Tampa to help my wife. The next day, my blood pressure dropped extremely low and my heart rate increased significantly. The doctors tested for infection. Test results would not be back for two days. My brother came to town as I was not looking good. While waiting for the test results and my health was deteriorating, all my wife could do was worry. The test results showed I had an E coli infection in my lungs. This would be the first of many infections. Your skin is your main protection from infection, and with the burns on my arms, the grafting on my legs and the breathing tube, it was open season on me for every infection that came along. These infections slowed the healing process of my injuries to almost a stand still. I developed pneumonia and blood infections. A decision was made to graft my left arm as well because the burns were not healing as expected. My heath continued to falter. The infections, wounds and the medicines also prevented me from receiving tube feeding, so my only source of nourishment was an IV drip.
> 
> All of this happened, because I wasn’t wearing my safety gear.
> 
> During this time several friends, co-workers and family members, some that I hadn’t seen in years came to comfort and help my family. Meanwhile, their homes on the east coast of Florida were being damaged by hurricanes Francis and Jeanie. I was amazed when I learned about this later, that they were more concerned with my family and me than their own homes.
> 
> After several weeks of the doctors telling my wife “that they had never seen anything like the complications I was having” and “to go home and pray”, she called a meeting with all of the medical departments that were involved with my case. She pleaded with them to find some answer to save me. They found that I was allergic to one of the medicines they were treating me with. The reaction was causing complete organ failure. They used two other drugs, not meant for this purpose, with my wife’s permission to correct the reaction. There was only one other person who has had the reaction to this medicine, so this was a complete risk with no guarantee. Luckily it began to work.
> 
> When I entered the hospital I was a very fit 165lbs. When I awoke from the coma, after a month and a half, I weighed 115lbs. And was still not allowed to eat because of severe pancreatitis and fear of how my digestive system would react. My arms and legs were as small as my 9 year old son’s and were thickly bandaged. The pain from the actual burns was over but the graft sites on my legs caused intense pain. All the guys I work with and supervisors came to visit whenever they could. I could see the introspection in the eyes of the electricians.
> 
> All of this happened, because I wasn’t wearing my safety gear.
> 
> The sedation drugs seemed to take weeks to completely wear off. Rehabilitation started almost immediately. I had to build the atrophied muscles in my legs back up in order to be able to walk. It would take over a year and a half of therapy to be able to use my hands and arms because of the scaring. During this time I had surgery on my hand to relieve scar bands and I almost lost my thumb. My wind pipe was also collapsing from scar tissue caused by the breathing tube being in for so long. A surgeon removed about a one inch section of my trachea. And following my prior medical experience, I developed an infection and it ruptured the stitches that held the re-section together. I had a tracheotomy, with a tube inserted to bypass the surgical site to allow it to heal. It remained in for two months. Then they performed another surgery to close the tracheotomy opening.
> 
> Once it became obvious that I would not be able to return to work as an electrician, my employer and my supervisor offered me the opportunity to become a project manager and help supervise the men I used to work side by side with. I started back to work in the office at the beginning of 2006.
> 
> As you can see this wasn’t just my experience but all my family, friends and coworkers where effected as well. I am not able today to do the work that I did and loved or to use my hands to the extent I once could. My hands and arms have no feeling, no sweat glands, no hair and no pores. The new skin is also very thin and highly susceptible to injury and skin cancer. Your arms are also a major source of cooling for your body. I must wear long sleeves or sun protection at all times. I’m not really able to enjoy sports or events in the sun. Being a native Floridian, this is very different than I used to live my life. BUT … There are those who have suffered much greater injuries or death from very similar accidents. I am a very lucky and blessed man to even be alive! All of this because I took safety for granted. I didn’t follow safety procedures or wear my personal protection equipment.
> 
> All of this happened, because I wasn’t wearing my safety gear.
> 
> When someone complains about the safety gear being hot, uncomfortable or too bulky, I pull up my sleeves and tell them “it’s a hell of a lot more comfortable than living with this for the rest of your life… If you make it.”
> All I am asking you to do is to protect yourself and those working around you by following your safety procedures. Accidents at work not only affect you; think about the effects on your family, your friends, your finances, your company, your co-workers… your entire world. Most of these injuries can be prevented by following your safety rules. Most of these rules where put in place because of accidents like mine. Be safe; do it for yourself and for all the people close to you.


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## HARRY304E

I hope that one of the Moderators will make this thread a sticky thread so all the guys that come here will read it....:thumbup:


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## Donnie

12/25/11 - Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!!!
*12/24/11 - The DOWNLOAD VIDEO and Watch YouTube Version are now working on my site. 
The website manager (me) is still learning! :wallbash:
I hope the video helps!*


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## HARRY304E

Donnie said:


> 12/25/11 - Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!!!
> *12/24/11 - The DOWNLOAD VIDEO and Watch YouTube Version are now working on my site.
> The website manager (me) is still learning! :wallbash:
> I hope the video helps!*


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family as well..:thumbup::thumbup:


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## HARRY304E

Thank you for your new web site and posting it here feel free to jump right in with the rest of us about anything we are talking about.:thumbsup:.

I must tell you i have been in the Electrical trade for 37 years and never heard of the NFPA 70E till 2008 when i was just taking a class to get my hours to maintain my licenses.

We are men and hot heads and lough at safety and you did at one point as well according to your story and paid a price that none of us will ever know hopefully because they have read your story and heeded the warning and that includes me they will not have to go through what you did.

I am thankful that you have the courage to tell your story so all of us will learn well from you.


Thank you..


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## dronai

Testing the rotation of a motor only with a meter, will determine the phases by the motor acting like a generator right ?


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## 480sparky

dronai said:


> Testing the rotation of a motor only with a meter, will determine the phases by the motor acting like a generator right ?


Yes, if you can turn the motor manually. Sometimes, when they're installed in pre-fab equipment, you need to disconnect the motor from it's load so you can turn it.

If the motor can be 'bumped' to check rotation without damage to the equipment it drives, it's easier to do a rotation check that way. But some stuff don't take kindly to being run backwards, so bumping isn't an option.

When in doubt, check rotation of both the incoming line and the motor to make sure it will turn the right direction.


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## Magnettica

Glad you're still with us Donnie!

Merry xmas!


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## Jlarson

dronai said:


> I bought this meter about 20 yrs ago, and never used it !
> 
> My new job will be all 480V 3 phase !!! I will be mostly testing disconnects, MCC cabinets, motors etc.
> 
> Is this safe ???


I'd get a cat rated one, your new employer will probably require rated testers anyway. 

If you get the one from ideal it also does motor rotation and it comes with a case, good deal IMO. 

That's the model we went to so there isn't a chance for a mix up, before guys had separate phase and motor rotation testers or had a combined model that had separate inputs for phase and motor.


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## Frank Mc

Hi Guys

i have the amprobe prm 4 model....

http://www.tequipment.net/AmprobePRM-4.html

Recently i seen a sparky use a fluke device which uses non contact probes which i thought was a great idea...

Kyoritsu have a new non contact model out...

http://www.pat-services.co.uk/kewtech-8035-phase-rotation-indicator-1519.htm

Frank


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## chicken steve

HARRY304E said:


> Thank you for your new web site and posting it here feel free to jump right in with the rest of us about anything we are talking about.:thumbsup:.
> 
> I must tell you i have been in the Electrical trade for 37 years and never heard of the NFPA 70E till 2008 when i was just taking a class to get my hours to maintain my licenses.
> 
> We are men and hot heads and lough at safety and you did at one point as well according to your story and paid a price that none of us will ever know hopefully because they have read your story and heeded the warning and that includes me they will not have to go through what you did.
> 
> I am thankful that you have the courage to tell your story so all of us will learn well from you.
> 
> 
> Thank you..


 
bears _repeating_ Harry......


perhaps Donnie could evolve his site to post some good grass commentary like yours

~CS~


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## Donnie

You are so right Harry! I had taken energized equipment classes but I became complacent.


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## frenchelectrican

Frank Mc said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> i have the amprobe prm 4 model....
> 
> http://www.tequipment.net/AmprobePRM-4.html
> 
> Recently i seen a sparky use a fluke device which uses non contact probes which i thought was a great idea...
> 
> Kyoritsu have a new non contact model out...
> 
> http://www.pat-services.co.uk/kewtech-8035-phase-rotation-indicator-1519.htm
> 
> Frank


Frank.,

Have any of your guys in your area did try the new phase tester of non contact verison yet ??

I am thinking to buy one soon it will be alot safer this way.

Merci,
Marc


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## HARRY304E

Donnie said:


> You are so right Harry! I had taken energized equipment classes but I became complacent.


If all of us can learn from your hard work that is a great plus......:thumbup:


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## Frank Mc

frenchelectrican said:


> Frank.,
> 
> Have any of your guys in your area did try the new phase tester of non contact verison yet ??
> 
> I am thinking to buy one soon it will be alot safer this way.
> 
> Merci,
> Marc


Hi Marc

I personally havent used the non contact phase rotation version...But as i mentioned, on a job i was commissioning the site sparkie used a fluke device which was non contact....

If you look on ebay the Kyoritsu unit is selling for around $300....

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Kyoritsu...Electrical_Test_Equipment&hash=item336f98c599

Frank


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## nitro71

HARRY304E said:


> The meter that i posted previously is the wrong one i have read your story in previous threads and the IDEAL meter that i posted took the blame instead of the one you just posted and i thank you for that info.:thumbsup:


Low end Ideal meters still suck.. Friends don't let friends use Ideal meters.


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## HARRY304E

nitro71 said:


> Low end Ideal meters still suck.. Friends don't let friends use Ideal meters.


yup i have been using the fluke meters these days..:thumbup:


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## nitro71

That Lutron looks VERY similiar to that Greenlee. I can easily see someone picking up the wrong meter.


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## HARRY304E

nitro71 said:


> That Lutron looks VERY similiar to that Greenlee. I can easily see someone picking up the wrong meter.


I did not even know that Lutron ,made meters till this thread.


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## HARRY304E

..................


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## TattooMan

Donnie said:


> Hello Members! My name is Donnie Johnson. My wife and I made a video a few years ago called "Donnie's Accident". I have a new website. I have had numerous requests on You Tube and other sites for copies of my video from safety directors. They use it for their safety programs. So I made a website! I use the video during my 'work safety' presentations when I speak at events, businesses and organizations. You can watch or download the video and read the full story of my 'experience' here. I’m not charging anything; this site is meant to help promote safety awareness by sharing my experience before during and after an electrical "Arc Blast" accident as well as reminding us what can happen if we don’t follow our safety procedures. Please feel free to share the link.
> 
> www.donniesaccident.com
> 
> You can contact me at: [email protected]
> or the “Comments or Questions” box on the website.
> 
> 12/25/11 - Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!!!
> 12/24/11 - The DOWNLOAD VIDEO and Watch YouTube Version are now working.


Thank you for sharing your story. Good luck to you and your family, you are all truly blessed!


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## ce2two

People take our trade for granted like johnny do it your self.............:drink:He or she is a split second from getting shocked or burning down something or killing one self or others.:hammer:THANK YOU FOR SHARING:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## AlbertSmith

Safety signs are very important. Many accidents happen daily in the workplace and as you rightly said, you can never cut corners in educating employees about safety. It could save the company a lot of money and also their reputation.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician

Good article in this months IAEI magazine. It includes Donnie's comments leading up to the accident and his present condition.

It points out just how dangerous electrical work really is. What profession deals with material that can't be seen, has no odor, and can't be felt until it's too late?

Safety should be job 1.


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## Donnie

I'll Have to make sure Thomas (author/interviewer) gets me a copy!


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## CanadianSparky

I remember a couple of years ago watching this video in school (ESA put on a presentation about arc flash safety) and I was disgusted in what my fellow classmates thought about the video. You got the comments like "I never knew we were having a nickelback concert. These were people who should know and be taught of the dangers the first time on the job and they just played it off as a joke. It still scares me that people think this way. To this day I'm still in awe on how many people are unaware of the risks they face everyday and how they play it off like it won't ever happen to them.


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