# Am i gonna die?



## pschieuer (Mar 10, 2011)

So I've got a 3 foot deep trench that I need to get footings formed up in this week. My concern is that there's a primary line, 7200 volts, about 6" under the bottom of the trench, and there's a good 4" of water in there. We're still waiting for the power company to run a new line, so eventually this will be dead, but currently it's live. Am I safe working in there or might I get bbq'ed?


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## jproffer (Feb 19, 2005)

I can't believe the POCO is letting you put footings OVER a live line anyway ( I know you can't put it under it either and still accomplish your goal, lol...but still). Did you clear this with them?


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## pschieuer (Mar 10, 2011)

Yeah, we've cleared everything with the powers that be. The POCO is aware of what's happening. They're just taking their sweet time running a new line. We know its under there cause we hit it once with the excavator. Oops.


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## Bearded Wonder (Jan 21, 2011)

I think I'd tell the guy's "hey, y'all jump in this trench and get to working. I've got to run get some materials"....


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

I don't know if you will die or not but if you do let us know.

Andy.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

I would stay away from it, from here on you are at the mercy of the POCO and their schedule. Would i jump in a ditch with water and a live line under that which you already hit with a machine, hell no!!! I think you have pushed your luck already. Are you a gambling man?


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

It's not the volts that kill ya, it's the amps


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## pschieuer (Mar 10, 2011)

Yeah, I already know its a scary number of volts, I don't wanna know how many amps. I'm gonna toss a pump in there to get the water out, but even then, with mud, how dangerous is it to be working a few feet away from this? I suppose I could toss a cat in there and see what happens....


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## Bearded Wonder (Jan 21, 2011)

pschieuer said:


> Yeah, I already know its a scary number of volts, I don't wanna know how many amps. I'm gonna toss a pump in there to get the water out, but even then, with mud, how dangerous is it to be working a few feet away from this? I suppose I could toss a cat in there and see what happens....


Hahahaha I like the cat idea.


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

pschieuer said:


> Yeah, I already know its a scary number of volts, I don't wanna know how many amps. I'm gonna toss a pump in there to get the water out, but even then, with mud, how dangerous is it to be working a few feet away from this? I suppose I could toss a cat in there and see what happens....


You might need to toss the cat in ten times to be sure...


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

Just curious... Did you call a locate before you dug?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

TimelessQuality said:


> You might need to toss the cat in ten times to be sure...


This is pretty much the only reason I read Ct.


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## pschieuer (Mar 10, 2011)

We've had multiple locates done. The problem was the line was around 18 feet down in places. There was a bunch of crap fill dumped here years ago after the line was buried, so the locates weren't very accurate. That, coupled with a really rammy excavator made for a few problems. The line was actually hit twice. The neighbors love us. Especially since theirs was the only cat I could find.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Not really on subject of electrocution, but since you are knowingly going over this line, you have no issue with installing the new footing onto fill conditions?

Back to the original subject, Yes, we are all going to die.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

tgeb said:


> Not really on subject of electrocution, but since you are knowingly going over this line, you have no issue with installing the new footing onto fill conditions?
> 
> Back to the original subject, Yes, we are all going to die.


Good point. I thought the code was "on undisturbed earth"..


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## pschieuer (Mar 10, 2011)

Where we hit the line, we're at undisturbed conditions. We excavated all the old nasty fill and brought the ground back up to grade with good clean fill in 6 inch lifts, packing each lift.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

But now it's all mud.


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## pappagor (Jan 29, 2008)

yes you will die do not know when but post when you do :clap:


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## pschieuer (Mar 10, 2011)

Sure is. Spent all day pumping water and rolling up wet muddy concrete blankets. I want to shoot myself now.


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

I played in the mud all day to, not fun


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