A Bright Arc: Contact With a Power Line (6 of 7)

This seven-part video deals with the dangers of working near overhead and underground power lines. Dramatic footage and computer animation show what can happen if you or someone on your jobsite accidentally contacts an energized power line. (1990)

[@IluKoru]

Having to bunny hop away from a bulldozer like a buffoon is your penalty for hitting a power line. Seems fair.

[@TheEndOfABloodline]

This comment became so damn much funnier when I got to the part of the video it was talking about.

[@noi8017]

@@TheEndOfABloodline lmfao I didn’t get it either till I saw that part

[@harrydeluca972]

No matter how goofy it looks, it can save someone's life! The better approach is to shuffle your feet to AT LEAST 33' without picking up your boots from the soil, UNLESS you have a death wish! Then go for broke...

[@stephenholmes4253]

Replied to a question below. Wanted more people to see the answer:It is about the resistance in the dirt. There is full voltage where the power line touches the ground- 13,000 volts. Through the dirt's resistance, a foot away may be 12,000 volts. So when you step away from the contact point with your feet one foot apart, you can have that 1000 volts difference go through your bod, (as well as through the dirt).

[@HighVoltageMadness]

this is true unlike everyone who says don't touch any metal objects inside the vehicle which is not true

[@Likeggs]

2:33 This is how my uncle died. His dump truck type trailer made contact with power lines and the tires caught fire. He jumped out of the truck with his fire extinguisher but he was still touching the truck when his foot made contact with the ground. He was 23 years old. Videos like this are invaluable.

[@darabradley5173]

Dumpytom R.I.P

[@Sublimebmx187]

Tom LaRose fire extinguisher aka metal or know as a conductor is the reason why he got electrified and died

[@Engineer9736]

Sublimebmx187 He wrote that his uncle both touched the truck and the ground. Not that he touched the ground and the truck via the extinguisher.

[@hardcase1659]

@@Sublimebmx187 No you moron, he was holding on to the energized machine when he stepped on to the ground at the same tine, turning himself into a conductor. Doesn't matter what he held in his hands.

[@HighVoltageMadness]

@@Sublimebmx187 You are incorrect because simply holding a metal object doesn't create an electrical path to ground

[@Darin-USMCB--]

I would have never thought about hopping.

[@hootinouts]

Same here

[@MuonRay]

These kind of videos are very important. Well done.

[@benzeneau1]

i used to do regular refresher courses on working with high voltage. Early on i asked the instructor, why we did not get any instructions on rescue. He said: with HV there is no rescue, after the area has been made safe, the coroner comes to collect the cadaver...

[@KrK007]

That bunny hop thing, I'd never heard that. That's a potential live saver. Thank you for this video.

[@johnrroberts7900]

Wow, did not know this about energised ground, keeping your feet together and hopping. Thank you very much.

[@dellguru5908]

So if you have to work with wires, make sure it’s fiber optic. I’m sure this is incredibly useful for electricians.

[@Gaspard-uc4iv]

???? Bizarre cette remarque , comprends pas bien.

[@Harkthel33t]

i like how he grabbed a part of the excavator with his hands after touching the wire

[@urbansnipe]

how not to become a human fuse

[@Engineer9736]

urbansnipe It has nothing to do with being a fuse.

[@felixthecleaner8843]

good information for the working man (and woman)

[@tommyheaden7870]

Damn' I actually learned something useful on KZbin.

[@marcosmota1094]

WorkSafeBC is awesome. After a binge, I get a random video from time to time. Well worth the time, particularly this video. Thank you Canada!

[@Naddycat]

I never knew that about keeping the feet together. Thanks for this video. :O)

[@jerrylopez5979]

Wow. This is extremely helpful. I will pass it on. Thanks

[@DenydisabilityCa]

Excellent advice on how to exit the machine and escape the danger zone safely. If you are unlucky enough to become permanently disabled while working, you may experience BC's corrupt disability courts where doctors falsify medical reports for insurers!

[@leeandadaelliott]

While operating a crane with 140 foot boom, the machine came within 50 feet of very high voltage transmission line. The crane became inductively coupled to high tension lines and when ball swung to within 2 feet of grounded support column, a large spark jumped from ball to column.

[@RXSVN_2]

Inductive current within 50 feet? Wow.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

That hadda be pretty cool

[@fft2020]

Very very useful ! I didn't know the last part ! the ground is at a gradient voltage away from the machine... feet at different distances are at different potentials, creating a current!

[@lvmybears]

Im learnding

[@rickprusak9326]

The best safety rule is: NEVER operate ANYTHING near a power line. Not even a kite. Benjamin Franklin learned that the hard way for you, so you won't have to repeat his goofy mistake. Electricity does not discriminate. It knows no racial, religious, social, or political differences. It will kill anyone or anything that gets in it's way.

[@JOHNPHUFNAGEL]

I never knew that I thought once elecric had a path to ground you would be safe standing on the ground aka dirt

[@ExcavationNation]

Poor bird 🥺

[@Leo-pd8ww]

You should hop using one leg. Hopping with two feet can still shock you. Or just walk with only one foot touching the ground.

[@mu86neer]

u probably saved many lives by uploading this video... thanks man

[@freakyflow]

Also If your Parents named you Worker 1 Or Worker 2 ....You have no chance

[@HighVoltageMadness]

Everyone should know this it could save your life

[@grahamrsparker]

Can be energized,can be,, not will be,can be but this is unlikely

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

"Equipment failure" is why I am here.

[@cataclysm9279]

Awesome video. they should have showed this when i did my boom ticket.

[@BATTLECATT00]

I can see this, main delivery wires from the company to substations are pushing the highest deadliest power, then down sized to the main substation to be sent across a city or town. But the delivery from the substation is still high enough to kill and still have some strong push. Until it reaches a pole transformer to be down sized again so it is safely sent to houses. As long it is high, it has serious push, were it even can push through rubber. So all top pole wire before the transformer is always deadly. This is why when a pole transformer breaker fails, wire used for houses get red hot and start to burn. In short, all delivery wires on the top part of the pole are always lethal.. Lest this was how it was explained to me...

[@TheKneepain]

You are right my friend

[@niharraj79]

Very good escape by the crane driver. While he hopped he kept the step potential within limit. Good example.

[@joe125ful]

:) 2:02 operater touch metal machine construction...i know about faraday cage but in cage dont touch metal objects right?

[@urbansnipe]

+Tony Valdez he isnt completing the electrical circuit to ground so as long as he is isolated to only the "live" machine without touching ground he isnt completing the circuit so no shock. this is the reason that high voltage powerline workers wear clothing laced with conductive metals so if they do accidentally conduct a current it will pass around them rather than through them but ofc its not fool proof these metals get very hot with current and can cause severe burns

[@thefreedomguyuk]

he can touch where ever he wants in the cage.

[@brandoncole6358]

@@urbansnipe yeah if he's drenched in sweat from working I wouldn't advise touching the hand rail while standing on metal I'm sure he'd be more conductive than that hunk of iron separating them

[@manny4833]

The knowledge from videos like this one is a life saver. Great video. Thank you.

[@MM-M134M4]

Sheathed fiber optics are conductive.

[@danjones9007]

Metal track is on ground. Wouldn't stepping into track the same as stepping onto ground.

[@howlingwolven]

Technically yes, RIGHT were the track contacts the ground the ground will be at 22KV or whatever the voltage on the line is. But as you step away the voltage goes down quite a bit. Enough to kill you.

[@caerleon87]

No, the tracks are part of the machine and so will be at the line voltage. The machine will conduct power a lot better than you, so there will be no "potential difference" between the different bits. Now, if you were sitting on a rubber mounted seat things might be different!! The reason you hop away, is because of the resistance of the ground.. Say the machine is at 33,000 volts or whatever voltage they uses in your area. After, say, ten metres, the ground voltage will have dropped to nil.. So, for two points ONE metre apart, there will be a potential difference, a voltage, of 3300 volts...... Best you hop!! This is why horses and stuff get killed so easily when there are underground cable faults, their legs are further apart on the ground..

[@Gaspard-uc4iv]

Donc là il quitte bien sa machine en sautlllant c'est bie ce que j'ai toujours appris.

[@heyyeshyou]

I learned something to day

[@Gears.and.Gadgets]

forgot about that. thanks for the information.

[@horsestickmpg8400]

2:50 OMG HOP AWAY QUICKLY

[@aperspective2170]

Shouldn't you hop on one foot then?

[@TheTManShow]

I LOVE watching these. theyre so stupid its funny. one reject throws a nail into his knee, the other cuts his foot off.. lol these are who I want to hire!!!

[@KingKharibda]

I wish I knew what the background music was

[@AnxietyAdvertisement]

deadass😂

[@markbuitenwerf2000]

that was good information

[@rubroken]

Stephen Holmes comment is on the mark. Step voltage is the difference in voltage as you move away from a downed powerline, the higher the voltage, the higher the danger and the more aware you should be

[@compwiz00]

Dirt is not a very good conductor. If something of a very high voltage, like a power line or lightning is touching it, there will be a voltage gradient radiating from that point. If it's a very high voltage line, the gradient can be hundreds, even thousands of volts per foot. You conduct better than dirt does, so the electricity will use you as a kind of shortcut to get closer to 'ground' or 0v

[@ElectroZed]

a large bird touching 2 of the lines in 3-phase transmission lines doesn't create a path to the ground but I guess it was easier to explain it that way

[@mannys9130]

It isn't a path to ground that large steps will make, it's the potential between your two feet. The ground will resist the electricity, so the voltage 5 feet from source and 6 feet from source will differ. It's that potential difference between your feet that electrocutes you. Cows are usually badly injured from lightening strikes because their front/back legs are so far apart.

[@D8W2P4]

Well if you are made of metal you would have little to worry about with electricity you would just act like a Faraday cage and more likely than not the biology of something that is made of metal would be very tough.

[@hello12229]

Do you really want to touch the metal body? In cars I was told if a line lands on the car just don't touch anything, metal or electrical, get your arm off the door...

[@daviddickey9832]

If only my body had more SENSORS I could observe the danger.

[@TOinaeraser]

There is a potential difference between the two phases. If the bird touches two wires at the same time it will die.

[@nerblebun]

If caught in a suspected electrified area (like a backyard) .... bunny hop. The potential difference between your foot steps could electrocute you.

[@MrMinigod69]

Not always, like they mentioned it's called step potential, the electricity travel's up one leg then back down the other, we had an incident involving it, just recently at a job site, were a cherry tree was tipped over on a line, luckily just enough of a shock to let the guy know to back off.

[@southwestxnorthwest]

I want to see some OG thug with his pants sagging to take short hops instead of b-boppin' away from the equipment.

[@apache6755]

Yup I’d definitely fall and eat crap if i jumped off the mashing like that

[@beaufighter245]

Watching this makes me think of the TT earth I have to my workshop. Is this a possible cause of electrocution should I be near the earthing rod. I guess only if there is a fault with the supply or a fitted switch, socket and it grounds but something to bear in mind.

[@RobbieFPV]

The hopping thing seems unnecessary. If there's voltage on the surface, the voltage would be the same at both feet, resulting in a potential of 0. No current will flow.

[@NoYouAreNotDreaming]

exactly i was shocked with 120-160amps of electricity and it did nothing to me because it was only 15-20volts...(where did i get that amps?welding)

[@patamaran]

@Lrydermusic Its called a Faraday cage. There's no voltage difference between him and the frame so he is fine, but the second he touches the frame and the ground at the same time he is a dead man.

[@Serostern]

Actually, the potential difference betwen the one meter steps will be far less than the resistance of your soles.

[@Leo-pd8ww]

A path to ground is a difference in potential too. And in a three fase-four wire system, you could be touching the neutral wire.

[@compwiz00]

You don't want to touch two things which are at different potentials, like your car and the ground, or the ground in two different places.

[@SnoopPog]

he was a smart driver and knew that the digger formed a faraday cage around him so he was in no danger...

[@Levikj]

if a bird touches both wires then it has a phase to phase contact which means has DOUBLE the voltage of phase to ground

[@johndough9187]

Phase to phase, or (electrical) leg to leg?

[@mathscirocks]

metal is a very good conductor so there will hardly be any difference in voltage on different parts of the machine

[@shippyshiphead]

Nice vid. Ironically im subscribing to make a video series, possibly including this specific video. On youtube of course.

[@TEAMPHHrollsUSD]

thank you for your posting such professional and informative videos such as these.

[@RXSVN_2]

2:13 and 3:00 wow.

[@umeshpvnr5445]

Thank God, I learn something by this vedio.

[@TheFoodieCutie]

Wow that was really helpful. I didn't even think about that kind of stuff

[@johnmclaughlin6984]

no because not only does electricity go through routes to ground it also takes the path of least resistance, metal has a low resistance (1 or 2 ohms depending on the metal) your body had a resistance of a few kilohms, also the potential voltage difference between different parts of the metal is so minute there is no harm done to you unless you are wet in which your bodies resistance will decrease.

[@howlingwolven]

Look up the formula for parallel resistance. Plug in some numbers.

[@gms3167]

good content

[@LittleWolfBindery]

That's only half right. Yes, amperes can be deadly, but VOLTAGE is required to push amperes through the body. A cheap alkaline D-size cell from the dollar store, for instance, can produce more that 8 to 10 amps of current, but fortunately, 1.5 volts is not enough to push all that current through the body (unless you're made of metal, then even fractions of a volt can be deadly).

[@howlingwolven]

A lipo will throw 225 amps sustained current nowadays.

[@hagenboggs801]

How does walking normally create harm? Electricity will take the path of least resistance to ground, so leaving the ground and flowing through your body back into the ground doesn't make any sense. It'd be extra resistance

[@houseofwonders1]

it said in the video it takes all paths even those with more resistance.

[@user990077]

Hop on one foot to get out of the ground plane if you can without risk of falling over.

[@chrisking7012]

Sounds like the Faces of Death narrator

[@diecksl]

3:03 I wish they explained the concept of potential difference a bit more.

[@caerleon87]

Say the machine is at 33,000 volts or whatever voltage they uses in your area. After, say, ten metres, the ground voltage will have dropped to nil.. So, for two points ONE metre apart, there will be a potential difference, a voltage, of 3300 volts...... Best you hop!! This is why horses and stuff get killed so easily when there are underground cable faults, their legs are further apart on the ground..

[@R5H4D0W]

Why does the music in the first 10 seconds made me think its Rammstein's Benzene?

[@toddglover1121]

Words to live by, Not grounded not dead.

[@sparky3489]

How is TheSyncopatoe only half right? It is current that kills. I can produce 50KV @ 100uA and it may tickle. Make that 1 amp and it's lethal.

[@possiblyrandomgaming]

Tell that to electroboom

[@Explore531]

Huston we have a problem :)

[@anonymouslaca]

did you see the man put his hand on the machine metal body that right there would have kill him..... LOL

[@kg4boj]

No, it wouldn't.

[@shaunthesheep2011]

poor birdy ;( but otherwise a brilliant thing to remember

[@ferguson20diesel49]

How old is this. Who still uses a bantam

[@shippyshiphead]

lmao. i now hear that. "lass es schwimmen in Benzin!!!!" hahaha :)

[@jijzer4581]

ONE THING HE STEPS FROM THE ROTATING PART OF THE MACHINE TO THE STEEL TRACK YOUALSO HAVE TO HOP THAT THE CABIN IS MOST OF THE TIME SUPPORTED BY RUBBER DAMPERS TO REDUCE THE VIBRATIONS OF THE ENGINE TO THE CABIN SO THAT CAN BE ISOLATED

[@urbansnipe]

+J IJzer yeh i wouldnt be so quick to step on the tracks either :D i would sooner jump clear of the cab straight to the ground without contact

[@roshidihamzah7375]

thanks..useful information

[@JoseNunez600]

wouldn't you get shocked anyways because electricity is going through the vehicle?

[@simonrichard9873]

No because he isn't part of the circuit. It's like if you (while wearing rubber boots) put a knife in one slot of an outlet, and then touched it with both hands at the same time.

[@the__________]

Maybe he should just sell shoes

[@jaketinsley1987]

The ground around the machine will be energized? What happens if someone encroaches closer than 33 ft? Are they burned , vaporized or launched? Or does it pull them into the ground? Can someone walk me through?

[@TheKneepain]

Put a fork in an electrical outlet, and then multiply that pain by 1000

[@swss12]

yes the current flows through the ground, but the voltage over distance is reduced from the point of entrance or contact. so if you spread your feet on ground there will be a voltage difference between your feet and you are the resistor so current will flow through you. you will just be zapped.

[@howlingwolven]

Think about it like a lightbulb. If you're close, you see lots of light. Further away, not so much. It's called the inverse square law, and it means that close to the machine the voltage is high. 20 KV relative to "clean" ground is definitely possible. As you go further away, the power dissipates into the ground, so the voltage becomes less.

[@the67go]

very useful info

[@cheeriosaltcream]

wow i watched that video too!

[@sparky3489]

It's more lie 0.7 of an amp.

[@NariNaraga22]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@awzz87]

Its that difference in potential that kills you

[@urbansnipe]

+awzz87 wrongggggg :D potential difference is known as voltage. voltage doesnt kill you its the amount of current that flows through is WHAT KILLS YOU its all about the AMPS. tazer guns around 50000 (low current)volts or doesnt kill you but 240 volts (high current) from mains does kill you

[@awzz87]

You need a difference of potential in order to allow current flow. If you stand in an equipotential plane, nothing happens to you, but as soon as you introduce a difference of potential between two points, then current will flow in respect to resistance. You are right Current will kill you . .75 mA is enough to cause ventricular fibrillation.

[@thefreedomguyuk]

+urbansnipe well, the current is sort of a consequence of the voltage difference.

[@kevinolesik1500]

good advice

[@gfpd2722]

I love this channel

[@Rogervista100]

Touches the metal frame... 2:03

[@simonrichard9873]

How is that a problem? He is not touching the ground.

[@usnva5638]

Why don't companies equip their machines with high voltage foot wear that the employee can quickly slip on just in case of such an event?

[@ph11p3540]

A lot of construction boots have a high degree of electrical insulation built in but if they are wet, muddy or old they loose a lot of the electric insulation. Rubber and plastic conduct if it's dirty, caked in mud or the voltage is high enough that it can go through the rubber. If you work on a construction site and attend weekly toolbox meetings you will soon learn about this.

[@PhuckHue2]

too expensive. money is more important than human life

[@usnva5638]

Okay, then how about this: Why don't companies tell them it's okay to run instead of bunny hopping while they're on the ground? Running is different from walking in that only one point of contact is made while moving along at a higher rate of speed.

[@howlingwolven]

Because that's ridiculous.

[@CAESARbonds]

good video