[kag] Re: Geocaching Electrical Safety (fwd)
- From: "Celine Tauchid" <crst@xxxxxxx>
- To: <kag@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2006 01:00:23 -0400
Ha.... Reminds me of a letterboxing experience Hoover and I had...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hoover" <mlehotay@xxxxxxx>
To: <kag@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 12:50 AM
Subject: [kag] Geocaching Electrical Safety (fwd)
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 13:15:47 -0600
> From: "Connors, John" <jconnors@xxxxxxxx>
> To: kag-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Geocaching Electrical Safety
>
> Dangers of Geocaching in and around Electrical Equipment (2006)
>
> I've been geocaching for about a year now. I have found many creative
> types of geocaches. This is what makes it fun and challenging. Lately I've
> been concerned about the amount of geocaches that are hidden in and around
> electrical equipment.
> I am a Safety Coordinator for a Power Utility here in Alberta. It is my
> job to look out for the men and women who work on our electrical lines and
> equipment. It's also my job to look out for the general public. One of my
> job tasks that I really enjoy is teaching kids at schools electrical
> safety smarts. I'll go to elementary schools throughout the year to
> present a safety cartoon and explain in detail the indoor and outdoor
> electrical hazards that exist. I explain real life examples of people
> getting hurt really bad and death due to electricity. I show them what
> dangerous wires, boxes and other equipment looks like. I teach them to
> stay away from all electrical lines and equipment and not to play on guard
> rails that sometimes protect the high voltage electrical equipment.
> I am asking all parents and kids not to geocache around any electrical
> equipment. This is power poles, electrical boxes that are in your yard or
> power boxes in some other location.
> Please let me explain my concerns.
> I want you to remember two very important characteristics of electricity.
> 1. Electricity always wants to go back to the ground.
> 2. Electricity is lazy. It will take shortcuts to get to the ground. That
> could be a ladder touching a overhead power line or a geocacher touching
> the side of a damaged electrical box.
> Cars hit these types of boxes all the time and sometimes there are no
> visible signs of damage. Inside there may be wires loose that come undone
> due to impact and cause the area to be energized. (Step Potential/Ground
> being electrified) Also, the cabinet may become energized and when you
> touch the cabinet the electricity will pass through you to get to the
> ground.(Touch Potential) In North America we have had fatalities due to
> Step & Touch Potential. There is no second chance.
> Sometimes equipment just fails. The insulating factors that protect the
> public may fail due to age and possibly energize the box.
> The City of Edmonton transformers have a voltage of 13,800. That's over
> 100 times the voltage in your wall that you may use when you plug in a
> toaster. Imagine that going through you. Just don't take the chance.
> I am asking in behalf as a Safety Professional and Geocacher please not to
> hide caches on or around electrical equipment and not to even look for a
> cache that may be on or around any electrical equipment. If you believe
> that it is in a hazardous zone please contact the person who placed the
> geocache. If that is not a successful route please contact the person who
> approved it. Most of the time the approver of a geocache is not aware that
> it is in a dangerous zone. Let's look out for each other.
>
> Thank you for listening to my concerns and play safe,
>
> Johnnygeo
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