Hot Line Maintenance

Work performed on transmission and distribution lines although they are energized and in service is known as hot line maintenance. Hot line tools are all kinds of tools mounted on insulated poles used to maintain energized high voltage lines and other safety equipment. Insulated wire-holding stick, disconnect stick, saddles, auxiliary arm, cross-arm mount, pole mount, wire tong,  flexible line hose and hoist link stick are some of the hot line tools in use.

While working with energized power lines, or the linemen must use protection to eliminate any contact along with the energized line. A few distribution-level voltages could be worked using rubber gloves. The limit of how high a voltage could be worked using rubber gloves varies from company to company according to different safety standards and local laws. You may like to refer further.

Figure: Hot Line Maintenance

Voltages higher than those (that could be worked using gloves) are worked along with special sticks known as hot-line tools, with that power lines can be safely handled from a distance. Linemen must also wear special rubber insulating gear while working along with live wires to protect against any accidental contact with the wire. The buckets from those linemen sometimes work are also insulated using rubber.

For high voltage and extra-high voltage transmission lines, specially trained personnel use so-called "live-line" methods to permit hands-on contact with energized equipment. In that case, the worker is electrically connected to the high voltage line so in which he is at the similar electrical potential. The lineman wears special conductive clothing that is linked to the live power line; at an instant such that the line and the lineman are at the same potential permitted the lineman to handle the wire safely. Since training for such operations is lengthy, and still presents a danger to personnel, only extremely significant transmission lines are the objects of live-line maintenance practices.