Homeowner near electrocution

[ORclimber]

Beaverton man receives shock from 115,000-volt power line
08:22 PM PST on Friday, December 19, 2003

By ABE ESTIMADA, kgw.com Staff


BEAVERTON – A homeowner received an electric shock Friday afternoon after part of the tree he was trimming touched a 115,000 volt power line.


The man, who lives on 5103 SW 158th Ave., was taken by LifeFlight to a nearby hospital. The man’s identity hasn’t been released. Officials also could not provide details on his condition or the extent of his injuries, but the incident was described by some as a 'near-electrocution.'


The homeowner was trimming the tree on his property with an electric chainsaw about 4 p.m. when a section of the top of the tree fell and hit the power line at the edge of his property, said Kregg Arntson, a spokesman for Portland General Electric.


Power wasn’t lost to the neighborhood, but the accident serves as a warning for other homeowners, Arntson said.


“This is just a reminder to homeowners, to really anybody, even contractors, that tree trimming should really be done by a professional who is trained in safety around tree trimming,” Arntson said.

 

[ORclimber]

Here's a picture from the article.

 

[Koa Man]

Originally posted by ORclimber


“This is just a reminder to homeowners, to really anybody, even contractors, that tree trimming should really be done by a professional who is trained in safety around tree trimming,” Arntson said.

I am surprised more homeowners or tree trimmer wannabes don't get hurt or cause serious property damage. I watched a neighbor trimming his mango tree and climbing with no safety gear of any kind, using an electric chain saw and lowering limbs with a 1/4 inch yellow polyester rope.

Another climber here saw a guy standing near the top of a fully extended 24 ft. extension ladder about to cut the trunk of a leaning 60 ft. coconut palm heavily loaded with nuts. At first he was going to just watch the kick back when the top came off, but realized the guy would be killed or badly hurt. He ran over there and told him you are going to die if you cut the tree there. He offered to take the tree down with no hauling of debris for $100. The guy wisely accepted and he had the coco palm down in about 75 minutes.

 

[murphy4trees]

I ran into a couple of laymen (no tree cutting experience) guys taking down a buch of 60-80 hung leaners (widow-makers) in Va. after Isabel.... they were using a small pick up and long chains to pull the base of the trunk away after it had been cut.... When I got there they had already downed a big one or two and there was a trunk was across the drive...
Now that's pretty dicey work even for an experienced feller... My advice was to cut and move the trunk that was across the drive, before they cut the next tree, so at least they could get a vehicle out in case of emergency.....
they managed to get the trees down OK, except for the small trees and shrubs that were trashed in the process...

 

[ORclimber]

For info and discussion on this accident.
http://www.electrical-engineering-f..._shock_from_115000volt_power_line_111127.html