These Lines Will Reach Out and Grab You

Members of the ISP-Wireless list react to a personal encounter with a power line. Be careful if you're up in the air near one—they can grab your antenna if it gets too close.

[May 14, 2001]

On the ISP-Wireless list in April, TJ shared an important cautionary tale:

"Yesterday, while one of our wireless installers was attempting to realign an antenna for a customer that had been up for over a year, the wind caught the ten-foot mast he was holding and blew the antenna toward the utility power lines. The electricity arced across to the antenna, and then followed the LMR-400 down to the Compaq 486 computer with the wireless card installed."

"The installer wasn't wearing gloves or anything, and said he didn't feel a thing. A witness standing across the street saw the whole thing happen and said it was a ten-foot arc from the line to the antenna. According to the power company, that line carries 7,400 volts. Our installer was more than twenty feet away from the line. He never let go of the pole until the sparks were flying, and yet the power was able to reach that antenna when it was within ten feet. Those lines will reach out and grab you."

JM asked the logical follow-up question:

"So what is the story on liability? Who pays? You or the installer? Did you subcontract out to this guy? Whose insurance company has to do what?"

[TJ explained] "It falls under our general liability insurance. He was one of our employees. Basically, the insurance company is going to pay for everything to be replaced, with no deductible from us. I know it's bad to say, but it looks like after paying this insurance for the last five years, we are finally going to get to use it!"

FA noted that, insurance or no insurance, there still will be some damage:

"It's a shame your rates are going to go up now for the next five years to pay for what they had to pay you, though."

[JM scoffed] "Of course they will: insurance is a business. They have to recoup their costs somewhere."

[FA observed] "The simple lessons are: always cover yourself under workers' compensation, and always make sure your subcontractors have up-to-date workers' compensation on their employees."

Then IS asked a more important follow-up question:

"Why aren't you grounding these masts/radios? We are running six-gauge copper wire to an obvious ground point on all our outdoor installs. This might be metal conduit on the rooftop, steel beams under the roof, or an eight-foot ground rod if necessary. You are asking for a repeat if lightning strikes your mast, and lightning carries a lot more than 7400 volts."

MS provided the moral of the story:

"Being an ex-linesman, this damage does not surprise me. Neither does the fact that the tech was unharmed, as there was no ground path. I am quite suspicious about the ten-foot air jump that the power is claimed to have made, though. I'm glad you posted this: I'm sure that lives and property will be saved over the years by it. This is a great lesson."

—End

Related articles:
	[Oct. 11, 2000]	Lightning and the Wireless Antenna
	[Sep. 13, 2000]	Licensing for Antennas and Towers