# Painting around electrical lines on building



## platinumLLC (Nov 18, 2008)

I don't do a ton of painting and most of the painting I do is interior for the remodels we do. I'm doing some interior remodeling for a commercial building and the owner asked if I could paint the exterior since I'm doing the interior painting. I don't have a problem doing it, I've done some commercial brick painting before. But never had to do it around where the electrical service comes into the building. What is the safe way to paint around where the service comes into the building? Don't want to be sticking paint poles and rollers next to live wires.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

With caution that's the only answer I have and the only way I've done it.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Call the power company and see if they have protective covers to put over them while you're working around the power lines. If not, the power company will need to cut the power while your working on that area.:thumbsup:

From OSHA:


> *Insulated Lines
> 
> _____________________________________________________________________
> | |
> ...


https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10752#1926.451(f)(6)


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Sir Mixalot said:


> Call the power company and see if they have protective covers to put over them while you're working around the power lines. If not, the power company will need to cut the power while your working on that area.:thumbsup:
> 
> From OSHA:
> 
> https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10752#1926.451(f)(6)


Second this. I'll mention around here getting the protective covers in place can take a couple weeks of waiting once the request goes in.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/in-house/full9227.html


> *Painter Electrocuted When Metal Ladder Contacts a Powerline--Virginia*
> 
> _SUMMARY_
> 
> ...


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Some of these things just take some thought before you start working. The single most dangerous thing you can do using an aluminum ladder around wires is try to take it vertical while it's extended, or take it vertical and walk with it. I'll set 40' ladders myself and move them alone, but around wires, I have a helper - a little goof can be a big problem.


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## FrankSmith (Feb 21, 2013)

hdavis said:


> Some of these things just take some thought before you start working. The single most dangerous thing you can do using an aluminum ladder around wires is try to take it vertical while it's extended, or take it vertical and walk with it. I'll set 40' ladders myself and move them alone, but around wires, I have a helper - a little goof can be a big problem.


Fiberglass ladders are a great way to go.


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## Quality_PTG (May 9, 2011)

Call the power company to that building. Put in a request to have the lines wrapped (could take anywhere from 1-4 weeks) you'll be more than safe after its wrapped


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## Anderson (Sep 7, 2009)

I put a call in when we were doing some tree work they came and dropped the line 7am and then came back at 3pm to reconnect. Gave about a weeks notice that was not commercial though


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## platinumLLC (Nov 18, 2008)

Thanks guys. I will put a call into the power company and see what they say. Is there usually a fee involved to have them wrap the lines? I've had them come to my house to drop a line while I trimmed some trees and there was no charge for that but not sure on a building like this.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

FrankSmith said:


> Fiberglass ladders are the *only* way to go.


FIFY :thumbsup:


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## Quality_PTG (May 9, 2011)

The two building I did it at the customer paid, so I'm not sure of the fee but yes, to have it wrapped it was anywhere from a few hundred, to a couple grand. It was a few years ago, so I'm not really sure.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

Aluminum ladders are one thing, but
a kid was cutting a tree branch, it fell onto a power line, he was holding onto both the branch and (I guess) the tree trunk or a conductive ladder, both were conductive enough so at least 20 mA of current went through his chest and clamped his heart or caused fibrillation 
and he died. 
This power line must have been in the kV range, I can't imagine resi 120/240v doing this.

We have a 7.2 kV line out front and while we were at the beach the neighbors called the PoCo or the fire dept. that our tree was on fire from a branch that was sagging.
I guess that branch was using up a few kW but not enough to trip the PoCo breakers.
Sorry I missed that spectacle!

And, a long time ago a teenaged geek hooked up a clock radio so he would get 120v when the alarm went off and would wake him. 
With no current limiting in the circuit he was killed. 
In hindsight, maybe he did know, or had hoped, it would kill him. It might have been declared death by misadventure.


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

Having just started painting a small commercial job I was debating to myself about getting service entrance lines blanketed by power company. There are three meters on the building and they all are in same location. 

I thought I could paint around what I needed easy enough. Then I read this post and had second thoughts, simply put - I know better and why take the risk. Yesterday I called the power company and explained what I needed, they said they would be out today and just to call them when I am finished. Can't ask for better than that. Glad I called.
Thanks to the OP for such a timely post - you made me think twice.


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## Quality_PTG (May 9, 2011)

Ohio painter said:


> Having just started painting a small commercial job I was debating to myself about getting service entrance lines blanketed by power company. There are three meters on the building and they all are in same location.
> 
> I thought I could paint around what I needed easy enough. Then I read this post and had second thoughts, simply put - I know better and why take the risk. Yesterday I called the power company and explained what I needed, they said they would be out today and just to call them when I am finished. Can't ask for better than that. Glad I called.
> Thanks to the OP for such a timely post - you made me think twice.


Safety first. You can't feed your family if your dead, or paralysed. 

Even my bosses growing up said that. 'Your worth more alive than dead. Take your time '


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

Absolutely right Quality PGT, power company had lines ready today, can't beat that.


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## Builders Inc. (Feb 24, 2015)

Yeah we had a company doing some work on a bell tower at a church near by and they had scaffolding up, way up... It was 10' 1" from the lines which complies and had the power company cover the uninsulated wires, Well they power company only covered a portion of the wires on the other side of the project. Two men were moving a walk board and hit the line or something. Sent both of them to the burn center and one isn't doing so well these days. Doesn't remember anything before the accident. Even his new born son.
Get them covered! And cover your butt for any employees getting hurt.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

Builders Inc. said:


> Doesn't remember anything before the accident. Even his new born son.


"Retrograde amnesia is the inability to retrieve information that was acquired before a particular date, usually the date of an accident or operation."


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

Quality_PTG said:


> Even my bosses growing up said that. 'Your worth more alive than dead. Take your time '


Not really I know several people that are worthless dead or alive, on the other hand I know people that are worth more dead than alive.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

avenge said:


> Not really I know several people that are worthless dead or alive, on the other hand I know people that are worth more dead than alive.


And you must have amnesia for those people you met who are worth more alive. . .:laughing:
Or there just aren't any, anywhere. . .:whistling

Speaking of death and amnesia, there was a kid who hated his father. The father was killed by a burglar when the kid was seven and he then couldn't remember anything before age 10.
Be careful what you wish for.


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