POWERGRAMS

39 Stringent GSC testing keeps line crews safe by Donna Cope PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHIL FREE Some things are too hot to handle. In the case of electricity, a "hot" power line can cause extreme injury, even death. For Alabama Power linemen, rubber gloves are their "lifeline" – the only barrier between them and a 40,000-volt power line. That is why all gloves worn by Alabama Power's 1,200 linemen and apprentice crew members are tested and certified. Each week, about 500 pairs are received at Building 4 in the General Services Complex (GSC) across from Shelby County Airport. There, a mechanics team carefully checks every glove and safety blanket that will go into the field. The team checks a mind-boggling 26,000 rubber gloves annually – and that doesn't include the orange insulation blankets and protective gear the crews use, such as "hot sticks," checked by another team at Building 4. "Our linemen are grabbing hold of live electricity," said Alan Moseley, Electrical Shop mechanic - Substations General Shops. "It's very important that we focus on what we're doing and are sending out a good product." Every glove that goes into the field is first cleaned, tested and certified by the GSC mechanic team. "We take a lot of pride in what we do," said Moseley, who has worked at the company 15 years. "We help ensure the safety of all our people in the field. ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards allow you to use the gloves longer, but Alabama Power allows only 90 days. We've never had an electrical contact incident from a deficient glove." For additional protection, linemen wear leather protector gloves over their rubber gloves to ensure sharp objects don't penetrate the fabric. Nicks and tears are inevitable with continuous use, so it's part of each employee's routine to check their gloves each day before work, oen as part of the Job Safety Briefing. Made of high-quality, natural rubber, each glove is marked with an end date, at which time they must be returned to the GSC. The mechanics team always has a supply on hand to replace gloves that have been compromised. Extra gloves are pretested for use by engineers and other employees during storm duty. While the GSC carries gloves sizes 7 through 12, size 10 is most common. The GSC buys custom-made gloves for two employees who lost fingers. Gloves cost $40 to $200 a pair, depending on the voltage rating: The higher the voltage rating, the more expensive the glove. For example, a glove that handles 36,000 volts of electricity costs nearly five times as much as a "0"-rated glove that can absorb 1,000 volts. Stacey Childers, Michael Ellison, Robin Nelson and Moseley perform direct-current tests and safety checks on gloves. The first step is a rigorous cleaning in heavy-duty washing machines to remove dirt and contaminants, before the gloves are dried in an industrial dryer. Aerward, gloves undergo electrical

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