Occupation

Can anyone help me to give my bosses a list of work related items that I should be aware of. I am an oilfield maintenance electrician and up until I received my pacemaker I had an apprentice to work with me. Now because of the risk of getting to close to a magnetic field (like the inside of an energized panel), the boss wants me to work with a journeyman instead. Any ideas on how to change his mind and get things back the way they were.

5 Comments

What do you get into?

by Theknotguy - 2015-02-09 09:02:04

Does an oilfield maintenance electrician get into 220, 440, or higher? Do you bring the mains in from the transformer? Or are you just working around 110?

Reason for my asking, I was working on 110 tonight and grabbed a hot wire. Thought the circuit breaker was off. PM didn't go into gyrations, test mode. Zilch, nada, nothing. So if you're working around 110 shouldn't be a problem.

Working with the higher stuff probably shouldn't be a problem either. The line is usually cold, then when turning on the current you're using the long poles so you're not anywhere near the current. (I'm thinking 220 and above will kill you.) They worked on my transformer box last summer and the guy was using a 10 foot non-conductive pole to throw the switch. At that distance you could probably handle 880 without it bothering the PM.

As for the EMF fields, jury is still out on that as we haven't had any reports from anyone as to what bothers a PM and what doesn't. As I indicated in an earlier post, I was leaning over two car engines while running. No problems. But my PM wasn't any closer than two feet to the alternator. Other than the alternator, I haven't been in any EMF fields that amounted to anything so I can't tell you what might bother the PM.

Sorry that I can't be much further help, but I haven't been able to find that much information. Hope what I've said is some help.

Occupation

by thewos - 2015-02-10 05:02:41

GingerVa
An apprentice is someone who is learning a trade. It usually takes 4 years to complete.
A journeyman is someone who has completed the 4 years of training and schooling
So my question back to you is why would a customer want to pay to have 2 journeymen on site when he could pay for 1 journeyman and an apprentice. It would be alot cheaper.

Talk specifics with your doctor

by brushmore - 2015-02-11 01:02:54

I think the best way to convince your boss is get, in writing, what is OK and what is not from your doctor. So I think you need to have a discussion with your doctor explaining things and go from there.

Occupation

by thewos - 2015-02-11 07:02:39

GingerVa, thanks for the info. And you are absolutely right about the client. I've been in the oilfield for over 40 years and my clients have said outright that they will follow me anywhere. Which is a good thing.
Also, thanks for the info on Medtronics, I phoned them a couple of days ago and talked to patient care and they had a job-site letter related to electricians that they emailed me. I've given it to my boss and he has seemed to quite down a bit and is even going to buy some meters to check the RF and EMF in the air as per site that I have to go to. Thanks

Some Info That May Help

by PJinSC - 2015-03-09 12:03:53

Please read my post 3/8/15, and some of my earlier posts about being around electrical equipment.. I also included a comment to my post with some information websites. Good luck. PJ

You know you're wired when...

You’re a battery-operated lover.

Member Quotes

We are very lucky to have these devices.