Electrical Safety, Wearing Jewelry in the Field?

Originally Posted By: jtedesco
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In the interest of Electrical Safety:


Wearing Jewelry in the Field?

I have noticed where some people are wearing all types of body jewelry and when I saw a few electrical installers who where let off at a job site from a big truck near the border, I wondered if anyone has had the same experiences and what they have done?

I am sure that OSHA has some objections to this or calls for some protection to be worn if someone refuses to remove their rings.

I believe that wearing no jewelry while working near energized parts is the safest way, especially when inspecting the interior of a panelboard.

![icon_cool.gif](upload://oPnLkqdJc33Dyf2uA3TQwRkfhwd.gif)


--
Joe Tedesco, NEC Consultant

www.nachi.org/tedescobook.htm

Originally Posted By: Greg Fretwell
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I have never worn any metal since I saw a ring that got across a 150 amp bus at THREE volts. It damn near burned the guy’s finger off.


At that time I was wearing a ring and a stainless steel watch. I put both in my pocket and never wore them again. I still have the “no metal” policy today. It does make it a little easier getting on a plane these days.


When you start thinking about any “line” voltage the whole idea boggles the mind. We all look at the charts that show the number of milliamps that will kill you and the discussion of skin resistance but that all goes out the window when you attach electrodes to your body. You can get a fatal shock from as little as 20-30 volts if you are directly coupled to the juice.


Sorry for the sermon but one of the "other duties as assigned" for an IBM IPR was the annual safety course.


Originally Posted By: jtedesco
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Thanks Greg:


Your experiences and training help to verify the reasons why we should always be careful.

![icon_smile.gif](upload://b6iczyK1ETUUqRUc4PAkX83GF2O.gif)


--
Joe Tedesco, NEC Consultant

www.nachi.org/tedescobook.htm

Originally Posted By: Charles Palmieri
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Joe


the old saying familiarity breeds contempt comes to mind! Rings (nose, ear, finger, etc.) are catch points as well as conductive. How many times on a site ascending or descending ladders or scaffolding have extremities been caught resulting in lost man hours or worse. When I was in the Navy, A shipmate was working on top of an aircraft changing a light. His dog tags (necklaces are as dangerous) drifted into the socket and he got a nice tattoo (little dots)around his neck. Fortunately that was the extent of the damage luckily he didn’t fall.


Originally Posted By: jmcginnis
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Speaking of the Navy… I was in the Seabees and one fellow working on a scaffolding 30 feet in the air, experienced a shock from a metal case 1/4 inch drill that had a high resistance short to the drill casing. The drill was in his right hand and the wedding ring on his left hand was firmly welded to the I beam he was holding onto for leverage. We had to cut the ring off because he ended up passing out and hanging from his ring finger. He survived because someone had good sense to kick the plug out when they saw him shaking. He suffered a severe burn on his ring finger but was lucky the finger was ripped off from the weight of his body. Obviously, this was in the days before GFCIs.


Originally Posted By: Guest
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I have a lovely permanent scar where my wedding ring used to reside before it got caught between the positive terminal and ground on a car. It got hot, it hurt and it ruined the ring. I haven’t replaced it.


Originally Posted By: joetedesco
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For anyone who may be interested



Joe Tedesco, Massachusetts


Home Inspector Provider


www.joetedesco.org


necmeister@gmail.com


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www.nachi.org/illinoislicense.htm
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Originally Posted By: tallen
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I have been flashed twice, luckily I was wearing my PPE and suffered only minor burns.


I will say that when I got nailed it was due to "enealers" I won't bother to splain it. Maybe Joe will.

However, the enealers are pure current, hell they are so inductive that your steel toes get hot.


I dropped a cutting from a 4/0 cable and it apperently landed across the phases of 13,800 volt system, and exploded like Hiroshima.

I survived unscathed , due to my PPE.


I am just trying to tell ya'll to wear some 1000 volt gloves and a face mask, I can gueretee it will not hurt you.


--
I have put the past behind me,
where , however, it now sits, making rude remarks.

www.whiteglovehomeinspections.net

30 Oct 2003-- 29 Nov2005

Originally Posted By: Joe Funderburk
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OSHA does not regulate company owners. Only companies with employees.


(I was a Compliance Officer with OSHA for 4 years in SC.)

But your point it well taken.


--
Thanks,

Joe Funderburk
York County, SC
Alpha & Omega Home Inspection, LLC
jfunderburk@aohomeinspection.com
www.aohomeinspection.com