When working on live electrical circuits - keep one hand on your hip or in your pocket?

Question

Why is it recommended? I can't find anyone who can give me a solid answer on this, please help.

Answer 1

Because your heart is between your arms.
Electricity always takes the shortest path. If you grab two wires, one with each hand, what's the shortest path between those wires? Through your arms and through your chest (including your heart). So if you grab two wires of the opposite polarity, you'll get electrocuted.
When this happens, the electricity goes through your heart, which can cause it to stop or even burn (depending on the amount of current), thus making you die.

If you're going to get electrocuted, you want the electricity to go down your side, not between your arms. By holding wires with only one hand and touching nothing but your own self with the other, if you get zapped, the electricity will go through your arm, down your side, and through your foot, rather than through your heart. You could still get very badly injured, but you won't be killed instantly.

Note: don't use your body to determine if a circuit is live. That's a good way to get killed. Go to a hardware store, and buy a voltmeter.

Answer 2

extton has the right answer. Just in case the system is energized, you want to keep both hands from providing a path for electrical current to flow. In your pocket might be recommended so that you have less of a tendency to let your hand wander into the circuit, but not necessary. Remember, the voltage won't kill you, amperage will. Since your heart is an electrical device you want to protect it no matter what.

Safety first demands that all circuits be de-energized before opening them. Reality is that sometimes you have to get access to a panel to use the test equipment. Always use protective equipment. Footwear should provide adequate grounding. Clothing should be flame retardant. Safety glasses should be worn. And so on. Be smart and know what is truly the safe way to work on the electrical circuit. Keep yourself safe. Your loved ones will appreciate that more than any death benefit they might receive.

High voltage is a special situation and should only be performed if you have proper training and equipment. My father worked with at least one electrician who was severely shocked but survived. He was lucky that the initial jolt caused his body to jerk so wildly that is flung him from the conduit to a spot nearly 30 feet away. He was severely burned and in bad shape. He survived and went back to work after an extended recovery. He also learned not to take short cuts to get through a job quicker. What he managed to get away with several other times, didn't work that one time. One time is all it takes.

Answer 3

I'm not sure either, but you will want to test circuts with the back of your hand, so that you don't grasp the live wires accidentally. This can lead to electrocution. You really shouldn't test a circut with your hand in the first place, use it as a last line of defence after using a tester to check.

Edit: maybe this is recommended because it will help keep you from being grounded to another conductive material, resulting in a much greater exposure to harmful amounts of electricity.

Answer 4

Depending on the voltage you are working around it is possible to receive a large dose of current into your body. Its better to wear a rubber glove on the hand you are not working(vice in a pocket) with to prevent a path across your heart. Shocking a stopped heart can jumpstart the circulatory system again-it works opposite on a beating heart.

Answer 5

It is NOT recommended.
What is recommended is that you make sure the main breaker is off!
But the method you describe CAN avoid the current running through your body (and kill you), BUT ONLY IF your feet do not touch the ground, or are at least electrically well insulated from the ground.

Answer 6

well in my profession that is the exact opposite of what one is expected to do, but since most people are not Lineman, or on the lesser side (electricians), it is recommended to prevent oneself from creating a direct path to ground accidentally or getting in between circuits of different potential. In lamen's terms, creating a fault or short circuit and killing yourself

Answer 7

Never heard that. The most important thing is to remember not to electrocute your self or burn your self. Also make sure to only touch one trace at a time. It takes 48V for electricity to pierce your skin.