Close?

Are the regulations the same in USA as here that any work is prohibited inside a distance of 50cm from the conduktor when the power is on (22kV)? We learned that after four years on the line working with burned leave trees almost everyday. Then, when we´d worked us through all the lines for this utility they told us that whenever the trees were closer than the risk distance we had to ask for an planned outtake.
We would also fell trees like on your pic with power on - on a dry day.
Svein
www.hogstogrydding.no
 
Trees like the ones you have in your picture are a common occurence for line clearance trimmers. One of the biggest misconceptions is that "burners" like this are rare. A lot of people think that 2'4" is as close as you, your tool, or the branch, can get to the conductor. A trimmer or foreman who called for a line kill or grounds on trees like that would soon be out of a job in this neck of the woods. I have met trimmers from back east who say the crew shuts down while it rains. Out here in Western Wa/Or, it rains more often than not, you work no matter what.

I've got some pictures of some trimming I'll be doing that I'll post soon, some single phase near Spruce trees that has been skipped for several cycles.
 
The utilities here are a bit twisted in this matter. On the one hand they forbid us to work any closer than the risk distance on the other hand they don´t like outtakes. So if we don´t ask for outtakes they are happy, but if we touch the line we are to blaim, catch 22.
Looking foreward for your pics.
Svein
www.hogstogrydding.no
 
its the same everywhere. When I was operating a bucket, I asked about "splitting the phases", ducking under the primary, and maneuvering the bucket over the neutral, so that the boom was between the wires. the foreman replied "the official policy is that it is not allowed, and entirely expected."
 
I hear you on that one. Most utilities will skin you alive for going between the phase and neutral. In Ontario (according to EUSA rules) it is acceptable to go between the lines as long as you can maintain the limits of approach. Unforunately, my company adopted a new set of limits and I cannot come closer than 3 ft from 750v to 50KV. Some lines I can do it but the majority of them I cannnot.
 
See a tree like that every once in a while, we usually have the crews take them down without an outage. The most interesting part is the customers usually dont't like the idea of the utility asking to remove these tree, Sadly we have topped many of trees in this condition. but clearance comes first.
 
Not for us. Here in NJ we usually remove all growth that may ultimately interfere with the wires. The only time we top (reduce) is when a h\land owner fights the case to the death. Then the power co. justs says "cut it down anyway" or "get us the minimum clearance".
 
Topping, we try to have the trees removed instead of topped. We explain to the customers the reasons why(not proper, still grows back in to lines, weak structure, less cost to utility and its customers etc) But some still opt to keep their trees. So the customer does end up with a topped pine (can't reduce those), most of the trees we deal with are pines. The utility does not force removal in the row. I also take the time to educate the customers on proper pruning and proper planting to avoid future problems. It is unfortunate that we do have to top some trees but clearance and safety is the main objective on the distribution lines.
 
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Looks like it's seen some heat.

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Yes. It had obviously been arcing. We did a maple a couple streets up that had been arcing also. We did them early in the morning when it was cooler so there was less sag in the line.

Mike
 
I forgot about this one. It was also nearby. The 2 maple were under a 115 kv but the locust was under 230.

Mike
 

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