DISTRIBUTION SAFETY EQUIPMENT

As the project supervisor or crew leader. you must review the work plan with all linemen before the start of the project. This conference lets all crew members know what their responsibilities are and what protective equipment and correct tools will be needed to safely and efficiently complete the assignment. Some of the most common pieces of safety equipment that you may use to ensure that your project is completed without incident are described below.

Rubber Gloves

The most important article of protection for a lineman or a cableman is a good pair of rubber gloves with the proper dielectric strength for the voltage of the circuit to be worked on. Leather protector gloves always must be worn over the rubber gloves to prevent physical damage to the rubber while work is being performed. When the rubber gloves are not in use, they should be stored in a canvas bag to protect them from mechanical damage or deterioration from sunrays. Rubber gloves always should be given an air test by the lineman or cableman each day before the work is started or whenever the workman encounters an object that may have damaged the rubber gloves.

The American National Standards Institute standard ANSI/ASTM D120,

Rubber Insulating Gloves, covers lineman's rubber glove specifications.

The proof-test voltage of the rubber gloves should not be construed to mean the safe voltage on which the gloves can be used.

The maximum voltage on which gloves safely can be used depends on many factors including the care exercised in their use; the care followed in handling, storing, and inspecting the gloves in the field; the routine established for periodic laboratory inspection and test: the quality and thickness of the rubber; the design of the gloves: and other factors such as age, usage. and weather conditions.

In as much as gloves are used for personal protection and a serious personal injury may result if they fail while in use. an adequate factor of safety should be provided between the maximum voltage on which they are permitted to be used and the voltage at which they are tested.

Rubber insulating gloves should be thoroughly cleaned. inspected. and tested regularly by competent personnel.

Rubber Sleeves

While a lineman is working on high-voltage distribution circuits. rubber sleeves should be worn with rubber gloves to protect the arms and shoulders of the lineman. Rubber insulating sleeves must be treated with care and inspected regularly, by the linemen in a manner similar to that described for rubber insulating gloves.

The rubber insulating sleeves should be thoroughly cleaned. inspected. and tested regularly by competent personnel.

ubber Insulating Line Hose

Primary distribution conductors can be covered with rubber insulating line hose to protect the lineman from an accidental electrical contact (fig. 4-50). The line hoses are manufactured in various lengths with inside-diameter measurements that vary from 1 to 1 l/2 inches and must be tested to meet the required line voltage. The lineman should be sure that the voltage rating ofthe line hose provides an ample safety factor for the voltage applied to the conductors to be covered.

All line hoses should be cleaned and inspected regularly. A hand crank wringer can be used to spread the line hose to clean and inspect it for cuts or corona damage.

The rubber insulating line hose should be tested for voltage according to the specifications at scheduled intervals.

In-service care of insulating line hose and covers is specified in ANSI/ASTM D1050 standard.

Figure 4-50. - Rubber insulating line hose used to cover primary conductors.