Why Wear Shock Protection? This is Why

Rarely will you find me on a gig without gloves on my hands. I have a pair of Gig Gloves that I love to wear when I'm unloading trucks, a pair of buffalo skin gloves that I wear when I'm working around energized electrical cables, and a pair of voltage-rated rubber gloves that I wear when there is a possibility of electric shock (inside the restricted approach boundary for you who speak NFPA 70E). I'm always careful to meter power as far downstream in the power distribution system as I can because, the closer you are to the source of power, the greater the hazard. I cringe when I see people metering power at the camlock connectors on a portable power generator.

Recently, I was doing some research and I came across an OSHA accident report that said an employee touched live energized parts within a power generator.

"At 1:44 p.m. on August 30, 2018, an employee opened the 480 volt 3 phase diesel powered generator's output terminal panel and lifted the output terminal cover. The employee's hand touched energized parts and received a shock through his left hand between the thumb and the index finger, and was electrocuted."

This is why we wear shock protection. Had he been wearing rubber gloves, he would be happily working or relaxing at home with his family today. Even if he was wearing leather gloves, he would have fared much better. Instead, he's another statistic.

It's too late for this employee, but for the rest of us, we should learn from this. We can do better. Wear gloves!