What happens if you hit a power line with an excavator?

When your machine touches the line, it immediately becomes energized to the voltage in the wires. If you get out of the cab, or a wire gets in, all that changes. If you touch anything outside the cab, the power line current will flow from the cab frame, into you, and out of you into whatever you touch.

Can underground power lines electrocute you?

Are underground power lines a better, safer alternative to above-ground utility poles? Yes, you won’t have to worry about being at risk of electrocution from a downed power line. There is no risk of electrocution from a dilapidated wooden utility pole falling on you or on your car, putting you in harm’s way.

What happens when you hit an underground cable?

When underground cables are damaged, people can be killed and injured by electric shock, electrical arcs (causing an explosion), and flames. This often results in severe burns to hands, face and body, even if protective clothing is being worn.

What happens if you hit an electric line?

Hitting a wire or pipe could cause serious injuries to the person holding the drill and could damage the home as well. Aside from you getting electrocuted and ending up in the emergency room, a fire could start, or your home could get flooded.

How close can you dig to a power line?

Safety standards require that anyone working near power lines stay at least 10 feet away, including any tools or equipment being used. Metal ladders, cranes and other specialized equipment require 20 feet of clearance, according to Consumers Energy.

How does a cable excavator work?

Cable excavators are versatile machines and the grandfather to hydraulic excavators. They work essentially the same way as a hydraulic excavator except it uses pulleys to drive a cable to push and pull its arm. They are used less today in favor of the easier to operate hydraulic excavators.

What to do if you hit a cable while digging?

As a refresher, here’s a checklist of actions if you or someone on your site hits a utility line while digging.

1. Clear the area. The first moments after you accidentally hit a line underground are perhaps the scariest.
2. Keep your distance.
3. Be mindful of substances.
4. Contact the utility company.
5. Don’t be a hero.
6. No sparks.

Are underground cables safe?

Underground electrical cables can be particularly hazardous because they often look like pipes and it is impossible to tell if they are live just by looking at them. Damage to underground electrical cables can cause fatal or severe injury and the law says you must take precautions to avoid danger.

What do you do if you hit an electric cable underground?

Do not touch or even stare at broken, severed, or disconnected fibers or fiber cable. Stop work, secure the area, call 911, call the utility, and do not resume work unless or until you are given the all-clear.

How do you tell if you hit a wire?

One way to tell if they have screwed into the wiring is to measure AC volts from screw to hot, screw to neutral screw to ground. A Wire that is somewhat free behind the dry wall might not always be centered and I have seen a wire get caught in a home that was built in 1997.

How deep do they bury cable lines?

24 inches
Direct Burial Installation The minimum depth requirement of a direct burial cable is 24 inches, except when installed under a concrete slab with a minimum thickness of 2 inches. In this case, the cable can be installed at only 18 inches deep.

How deep are electrical cables buried?

The generally applicable depth is 12 inches, or you can reduce it to 6 inches if you protect the cables with 2 inches of concrete. Under a driveway, you may only need 12 inches of burial depth. Conduits are required for installation in 2 inches of solid rock with concrete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrzq-JyVXcE