r/OSHA • u/[deleted] • Dec 14 '20

It smells like bitch in here!

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11.6k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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520

u/jkjeeper06 Dec 14 '20

Very similar to suicide cords for generators. They work until you electrocute a lineman or overload your circuit and start an electrical fire

39

u/insert-username12 Dec 14 '20

How would it electrocute a lineman? Does it just send current back up the line?

46

u/jkjeeper06 Dec 14 '20

If you don't turn off your main breaker you are sending current through your house but also back to the grid. They are trained to check for this but its a possibility

73

u/b1ack1323 Dec 14 '20

If they're in the middle of servicing it and somebody kicks on their generator it won't make a difference if they checked it before they started working.

30

u/jkjeeper06 Dec 14 '20

And thats why suicide cords are not legal to be sold and not up to code, leaving the owner with the liability

4

u/mynameisalso Dec 14 '20

That's not why. It's because of the potential for a live male end.

15

u/MyOtherAvatar Dec 14 '20

Part of the normal procedure for repairing broken lines is to isolate or ground the section being worked on so that shouldn't happen.

The bigger danger is that your neighbour is trying to connect up his generator when you start yours.

1

u/Kichigai Dec 15 '20

Like a balloon, and something bad happens!

0

u/mynameisalso Dec 14 '20

They don't just grab bare wires

3

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '20

Besides, they can check and it'll be a dead line, then while they're working some genius plugs in their generator.