2 killed after helicopter crashes into barge on Mississippi River near West Alton
- Thread starter Daleandee
- Start date
Just for information, power companies open both ends of such power lines, and locks the switches open. Heavy grounds are applied at both ends. They then attach keep out tags with the names of the responsible worker(s) on the devices.
The helicopter crew had no risk from electricity.
Their risk was flying and working close to substantial physical structure. Those wires are large diameter aluminum, with a thick core of high strength steel. They have stopped a twin engine fixed wing plane and threw it backwards without damage to the cable.
When the rotor made contact with the cable, they were done.
Placing and replacing those balls is very dangerous work, and the performance of both the chopper and pilot must be flawless. If the actual workers names are on those tags, rather than their foreman, there is a complicated process for releasing those keep out tags.
As an employee who has had his hands on such cables, and switched out and tagged them for other persons, I appreciate the complex process that assures that there is no power on the lines while work is done.
This is going to be tough for the next of kin. They have to have feared this might happen, but that does not make the actual event easier to live with. I wonder if any insurance company would write coverage for their lives. When I first started at the power company, no insurance company would insure 3 departments, and the company self insured. It was big enough to be relied upon to pay.
The helicopter crew had no risk from electricity.
Their risk was flying and working close to substantial physical structure. Those wires are large diameter aluminum, with a thick core of high strength steel. They have stopped a twin engine fixed wing plane and threw it backwards without damage to the cable.
When the rotor made contact with the cable, they were done.
Placing and replacing those balls is very dangerous work, and the performance of both the chopper and pilot must be flawless. If the actual workers names are on those tags, rather than their foreman, there is a complicated process for releasing those keep out tags.
As an employee who has had his hands on such cables, and switched out and tagged them for other persons, I appreciate the complex process that assures that there is no power on the lines while work is done.
This is going to be tough for the next of kin. They have to have feared this might happen, but that does not make the actual event easier to live with. I wonder if any insurance company would write coverage for their lives. When I first started at the power company, no insurance company would insure 3 departments, and the company self insured. It was big enough to be relied upon to pay.
Depends on the work. Had friends who flew jobs while the cables were live. Here's one example. But definitely not for me!
Zeldman
Touchdown! Greaser!
Monkey fudge.!!!
I almost soiled my trousers just watching that from the safety of my office chair.!!
Velocity173
Touchdown! Greaser!
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It’s an old IMAX movie too so just imagine watching that in a theater.