Electricution exposure in pressure-wash applications

Sirocco Jerry

Active member
We see all kinds of "electrical issues" on "all kinds" of systems ..
I am always shocked at how frequently we see worn-out extension cords,
overheated wiring, and especially.. pinched wires in diesel-burners.
Meticulous, is not everyone's middle-name". Eh?

As most of you know, I manufacture machines..
I make a "big deal" about abuseability, reliability, performance & all,
but we have grown tall and strong, from what we learn in our service center.
We believe that EVERY responsible service-center should have a "process-proceedure"
of checking your system for reliability and Liability problems,
but there is MUCH more to YOUR exposure than the examples above..

At the jobsite..
Electric outlets, lighting junction-boxes, vending machines,
and metal-buildings can "cause YOU" safety issues.
Plugging into house current on site is an exposure problem..
You would be AMAZED at how many bad-ground and stray-wire issues
there are in commercial buildings.

I recommend ALL of you carry a cheap "outlet-tester" to every jobsite,
and TEST EVERY outlet you are "exposed to".
don't kill yourself, or anyone else over a pinched wire,
or a mis-wired outlet.

Keep your trucks and trailers neatly organized.
Train you worker-bees to respect the equipment (or hire somenoe that WILL).

Also be aware that generators of all kinds are equally dangerous..
improper wiring is FREQUENTLY found in portable equipment.
a little 2000 watt generator CAN KILL you.
A 16 amp charging system can start a BIG fire.
I can go on, and on.

Please post here your examples of what to watch out for..

Let's make this one of the MOST important threads on the internet !

Be SAFE ! .. protect yourself, and the environment,
get "trained" to do so, .. and prosper.

Life is about Sustainable "relationships".
 
Watch your gas cans. If for some reason you get a flash fire when filling your machine, that plastic gas can melts immediately, if not sooner. I have had it happen, and it could have been really ugly. It did cost me about $3000 in tapirs from heat damage to my truck. 5 gallons of gas can start a very large fire very quickly.
On a side note, it also helps to have at least one fire extinguisher on every piece of equipment to put out any eventual fires.
 
This is something that happened when I was only in the painting field, but it includes water. I was painting a Christian Radio station for the owner who is a friend of mine. I just finished washing out some brushes and buckets when I was talking to a employee about how the towers at these stations are coated. I saw them using lifts and all and I was entertaining the idea of electrostatic painting of it and if it was feasible. For some reason the person at the office forgot to turn down the power while we were working in that area and I touched the tower. Wet hands and feet to boot while standing in a puddle of water. I was lit up with 5,000 watts of Radio frequency. This acts different as I found out that being popped with electricity. RF actually burns you and is deadly even at low levels. This was the tower I touched. If anyone says they do not believe in God this is one proof because I was being fried and could not let go. God protects idiots lol. Lesson learned: If you are working around radio stations be careful not to touch it even if they tell you the power is turned down to safe levels.
 
Electrical fire vs. " the idiot"

Here's one for you..
Stationary 3 phase system sitting at our old shop.. a metal building.
Way up front, 75 feet away, a wire from an un-used circuit came loose from a junction
that had not been used since before we moved into the building..
It was a 4 guage wire on a 60amp fuse.. when it fell onto the shell of the building,
it "found ground" at the back of the building, where another circuit included
a secondary ground, to the metal building. Right there, the connection had a jumper
to a water-pipe connection, at the wet ground.
A worker-bee (new-guy) heard the arcing-noise, saw the jumper-wire catch on fire,
and he started to spray it with water, as he was testing a pressure washer at the time.
Just as I pulled the hose so as to keep him from directing the spray at the electrical fire,
the 60amp fuse tripped. He is alive, but..
He no longer works for me.
..and, our pre-employment test we give to EVERYone, including office help,
includes the question.. "how do you put out an electrical fire?"
 
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Jerry
What about at the top side of some houses they have a bunch of wires coming into the house is there any danger when you get the wires wet?I dont spray them direct of course but they do get wet and i have always wondered about that.
 
Jerry
What about at the top side of some houses they have a bunch of wires coming into the house is there any danger when you get the wires wet?I dont spray them direct of course but they do get wet and i have always wondered about that.


I am not sure, but imagine having to paint around them? I have been in that predicament for over 20 years. It always seems to be a problem big time on older houses. The home owner always stresses to paint behind them. I think that's why they hire us in the first place.
 
electrical safety

wires on house are 120/ 240 volt ac be carefull around them, some of the insulation
may have fallen on older homes 120 /240 volt kills many people per year
if in doubt do not touch them, call electric supplier they will come out and
put insulating sleeves on them for your protection
water and electricity mix all to well be carefull

from an electricain with 30 years of working with power lines

dave
 
Thanks i see those and never directly spray them but the water trickles down on them and i have the white knuckle on the wand hoping all is well.Good information
 
on the "estimating guidelines".. JobSite Safety

most electric companies will for free,
come and re-insulate electrical-connections to the building.
if they look questionable..
have the resident call them, as a process-proceedure in your estimating.
...another item on the "estimating guidelines"..
jobsite safety. Eh?
 
Almost all the neighborhoods in our area have the wires underground, however there are several houses that where built in the past 5 years that the electricain never put the insulator caps on the ends of the wires just bare metal. Those are very bad jobs to take on. However that is a great point about having the homeowner call a electricain come out to put the insulator on the wires before the work is started. Will make that the top on the list to make sure.
 
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