Bucket Truck Operators Tips on Avoiding Electrical Risks
Bucket Trucks are an indispensible workhorse of the modern day industry. Of the many hazards related to operating bucket trucks, electrocution is one of the leading causes of injuries and fatalities. Training to identify and avoid electrical hazards is necessary for reducing the number of accidents involving electricity.
The safety recommendations outlined beneath are mainly for “non-electrical” bucket truck workers. Nonetheless, the general safety principles apply to all workers who are most likely to face electrical hazards, such as construction employees on scaffolds near electrical transmission cables, while on the job. The recommendations include safety standards established by a variety of regulatory agencies such as OSHA and NIOSH.
* If you use tools that increase your reach, the minimum distance you should maintain from utility lines should be greater than the longest extension of the tool.
* Prior to starting work, check insulation barriers and your equipment for wear and tear. Do not use electrical equipment that is wet, has dirt on it, or shows signs of deterioration on the insulation.
* Always insulate nearby electrical cables and use approved personal protective equipment if your work is electrical in nature such as hanging lights or electrical signs.
* Ground workers around the bucket truck must avoid physical contact with the truck or any parts of it when it is in use near electrical lines.
* If the work site is near utility lines, enquire with the utility company to see if they can shut the power off or install protective insulation over them.
* Treat utility cables as being live and don’t touch them with your bare hands.
* All electrical tools and equipment should have the correct rating for the job at hand.
* Check and ensure that the bucket is adequately insulated if you are going to be working around electrical cables.
* You must check your equipment to avoid the creation of accidental paths to ground even if the bucket of the truck is insulated.
* Keep a distance of at least 10 feet from all electrical cables. The rule also applies to all equipment and tools.
OSHA safety regulations on working near insulated electrical wires state that for voltages of less than 300 the minimum distance workers need to keep is 3 feet.
The 3 feet minimum distance requirement is an OSHA regulation and not the NIOSH recommendation. For wires carrying up to 50Kv, NIOSH recommends a minimum distance of 10 feet regardless of whether the line is insulated. For voltages over 50kv, NIOSH recommends 10 feet plus .4 inches for every 1000 volts over 50kv.
CFR 1926.550(a)(15)(i) provides safety guidelines for distances between crane & rigged loads and electrical power lines that is more in line with NIOSH’s guideline – 10 feet or more for electrical lines rated 50 kilovolt or less.
Given that suspended overhead power lines are generally not insulated, it is recommended that you maintain a distance of at least 10ft feet from all power lines. It is also a “best” practice to treat all electrical wires as live.
Bucket truck operators daily face many on the job hazards. To prevent injuries and minimize equipment and property damage bucket truck operator training should be comprehensive and provide operators with safety guidelines on how to deal with all hazardous aspects of their work such as fall protection and avoidance, vehicle maintenance and work site safety.
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