Bucket truck VS 138 kV line

[tomthetreeman]

Ummm... The Ergovation (dorsal attachment) is ANSI approved for fall arrest, last time I checked. That's why I bought it.

-Tom

 

[classictruckman]

This is what I use with a deceleraton lanyard on the front ring to prevent suspension trauma in the event I fall out.

 

[nuthin_special]

I don't think that it's possible to make a system to save yourself if your boom comes in contact with an energized conductor and the truck catches on fire. That in itself is incredible operator error and should never happen!
Any system for bucket exit an operator would likely not be able to employ fast enough to use safely, especially if the energized lines are below him or her. If I were lame enough to put my boom in contact with a 100+KV line, i'd pick jumping rather than fooling with securing to another system for descent.

Also, securing yourself to your device with a climbing harness and static rope (non shock absorbing lanyard) is not saving yourself from injury. The shock load would be tremendous. If on top of that you're tied into your side D ring and experience a fall, you're F'ED!

Frankly, it pisses me off that anyone can look at a truck that's burned like that and not think anything other than "the guy operating the bucket is way way way undertrained!"

I'll stick to keeping a rope bag hooked to the outside of the bucket in case the truck breaks down. Simply lower myslelf on an 8 or a munter and call a mechanic. i'm not going to contact a line that powerful ever.

 

[Winch]

"...Haven't tried it yet, bet it's no ergovation to climb off of, ..."

Tom, I was saying that MY rock and rescue belt WAS NOT as GOOD as the ERGOVATION. that's all. I wasn't commenting on the properties of the saddle, just named a random one for comparison sake.

btw, i don't own an ergovation, but i bet it's real nice. I would still want a deceleration lanyard to deploy, personally. Sure, it's rated for fall arrest, but doesn't "deceleration" sound better than "arrest" when we're talking about your body falling out of the bucket?

just my $.02

 

[tomthetreeman]

Winch, my reply was more in response to Fordman's question.

I agree that a decel-lanyard is better than the alternative. I use one already... I'm thinking that a rope in a pack combined with this is the best of both worlds.

-Tom

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

Nuthin: Agreed that if the boom comes in contact with power lines of any sort it is a training issue or pure stupid.
I am simply trying to figure a way to escape the bucket if the s*$t hits the fan. We dont have overhead lines where I work so its not a problem (and I dont have a bucket for my work). But we did have an instance when our truck was newer and it died. Our mechanics came out to look at it and try to get it out of our public area, they started to messing with it and sparks started flying off the starter. I didnt have a way our other than to wait for a throw line to be deployed and pull up a rope and harnes. I would rather have the rope and connections right there to "bail" in my fall arrest harness if needed. Thanks for all the input.

 

[Winch]

Cool, Tom. I totally understand and agree. Netspeak is sometimes difficult to deciper.

Classic, I like your thinking, but I do wonder why the decel lanyards on aerial lift harnesses are always on the back (as far as I know). I'm just wondering if what you are doing would make your fall worse than the suspension trauma you speak of. I know ST is a real threat, I just wonder why they wouldn't be set up like you describe if that was REALLY the better way. In other words, your setup seems too good to be true.

 

[classictruckman]

I think they started using the dorsal attachment because it was cheap to make, better than the waist belt and kept the lanyard out of the way.

The front attachment would be like sitting in your rope if you fell into the lanyard.

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

I also think if you fall 6 feet out of a bucket then add the decel lanard say another 6 to 9 feet and you are attached to the dorsal, you will fold naturally at the waste forward allowing more decel for you organs in your body (the important stuff). If you are attached at the chest I would imagine you would break your spine (or atleast bust you in the face with your snap) when you came to a stop. Ill stick to the dorsal, and let my ground crew fly me down, ST takes time to set in.
Do your crews practice bucket rescues from the pedistal controls?

 

[classictruckman]

Yes we do but ST only takes 7 minutes to set in theres time where the ground crew is either too busy or too lazy to look up at the guy in the bucket.

I've used the upper front attachment acouple of times on my old petzl V BOD and it was fairly comfortable, I think it would support the body quite well in a fall.

One thing I worry about with the dorsal harnesses is pull through.