DALLAS, May 17 /PRNewswire
The first hybrid diesel-electric bucket truck in North Texas looks and works like a normal utility bucket truck, but it runs on up to 60 percent less fuel. The fuel-efficient "cherry picker" will join the TXU Electric Delivery fleet on Wednesday, May 17, in Dallas where it will be based. TXU Electric Delivery's first hybrid bucket truck will be one of only 24 operating in North America.

"Fuel and energy costs are among the top concerns of Americans today, and through this pilot program, TXU Electric Delivery is proud to be taking action that can make a difference," said Rob Trimble, president and chief operating officer, TXU Electric Delivery.

The hybrid vehicle, which will be used along with other bucket trucks for the maintenance and repair of overhead electric lines in selected parts of the company's system during the next two years, is part of a pilot program to develop technology that saves fuel and reduces emissions. Results of the program will be incorporated by truck manufacturers and technology companies that are moving forward to offer the trucks commercially.

"We are proud to be one of only 14 utilities across the country taking part in this pilot program," said Trimble. "Businesses and individuals both need to pitch in if we are going to save fuel and solve the problem of higher energy costs. In that spirit, TXU Electric Delivery is pleased to offer this glimpse at utility fleets of the future."

With fuel savings of 40 to 60 percent over conventional bucket trucks, which initial tests indicate, this hybrid model can achieve annual savings of up to $4,500 at today's fuel prices. It also offers the benefit of reduced maintenance.

On the road, the truck runs on an efficient combination of bio-diesel and battery power. At job sites, the utility bucket can operate for up to two hours on the battery charge, without the engine idling that is necessary with conventional bucket trucks. The result is fuel savings, along with reduced emissions and less noise in neighborhoods where service restoration is underway.

For the past six years, TXU Electric Delivery has been doing its part for fuel economy by using bio-diesel that is 20 percent vegetable oil in 300 of its largest fleet trucks. When not on battery power, this hybrid bucket truck will use the same type of bio-diesel.

The hybrid truck was manufactured by International Truck and Engine Corp., in partnership with Eaton Corp. The national pilot program is administered by WestStart-CALSTART, the nation's leading industry organization for advanced transportation technology.

TXU Electric Delivery Company, a subsidiary of TXU Corp. , provides power to more than three million electric delivery points over more than 100,000 miles of distribution and 14,000 miles of transmission lines

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WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF NIFTY'S NEW TRACKDRIVE
(TD) RANGE OF WORK platforms, operators throughout the United States can enjoy the reach capabilities of Nifty's trailer-mounted range with the drive and traction of an all-terrain track-driven base. . The TrackDrive 34T is available in two versions, the standard (TD34T) and narrow (TD34TN) width platforms. With 60 percent gradeability, both offer excellent performance on steep or rough terrain, and the narrow version will pass through a 2-foot-6-inch opening for restricted-access applications. Both provide a maximum platform height of just less than 34 feet and a working outreach of more than 20 feet. The TrackDrive 50 (TD50), with an overall weight of just 6,380 pounds, delivers a platform height of nearly 50 feet and a working outreach of more than 28 feet. All the TD models have excellent grip and can travel over ground where even a 4WD self propelled (SP) platform would have difficulty. Hydraulic outriggers, controlled from the platform, allow each TD to be unloaded, set up and operated, even on uneven surfaces, without the operator ever needing to leave the platform. The TD's low weight means that site-to-site transportation costs are low, and, once on site, they can work for longer while using less fuel. They are even available with rubber-free urethane tracks, which are ideal for internal or clean environments, making the TrackDrive range a versatile and economical option for almost any purpose. Safety features, included as standard on the TrackDrive range, include: * Outriggers with audible and visible alarms * Double acting cylinders * Manual recovery with hand pump * Dual controls (platform and base) * Lock valves on all hydraulic cylinders * Dual harness points * Meets OSHA and ANSI regulations
Teupen LEO 23GT Bucket TrucksThe new Teupen LEO 23GT spider lift, with 75-foot working height and 35 feet of side reach, was designed specifically with the tree care industry in mind. The LEO 23GT articulates and telescopes at the same time with continuous 360-degree rotation with zero tailswing. The 528-pound-capacity, corner-mounted, 2-man basket rotates 180 degrees, giving tree workers the ability to rotate themselves around a tree for a safer work environment, faster work and flexibility for removing and trimming trees. Equipped with vertically adjustable tracks, this lift can easily negotiate a 30 percent grade. Outriggers are also rotateable and adjustable, allowing the lift to be set up in difficult, steep, and tight locations. Outriggers will also raise the lift high enough to self-load the lift onto a flatbed truck, doubling the lift as a truck mounted unit. The lift can also be easily transported on a flatbed truck or towed by a 3/4-ton pick-up truck. Dimensions are 38.5 inches wide, 78 inches high and 20-feet-6-inches in length. Weight is 6,800 pounds.

JLG Model T350

The JLG ModelT350 Tow-Pro trailer-mounted boom lift has an optional drive-and-set system that allows the machine to be driven by the operator from the platform when it is in the stowed position. Arborists can move machine across soft terrain where heavier machines cannot operate.

The Model T350 boom lift has a 35-foot platform height, 500-pound platform capacity, and can be towed at speeds up to 65 mph. Power is provided by 24V,220 ampere-hour batteries or from an optional 9-horsepower Honda gasoline engine.

An accessory tray at the boom's base accommodates a customer-supplied generator, power washer or air compressor. Factory-installed water, air and electric lines are routed through the boom from the base to the platform to power saws and other tools. This feature eliminates lines hanging from the platform that can become entangled or a tripping hazard.

Terex Utilities

Terex Utilities, Inc., based in Watertown, S.D., manufactures a complete line of products built specifically to assist with tree-trimming tasks. Products range from a unit built to access areas in backyards to other, more traditional, tree-trimming units.

The Terex Utilities Backyard aerial device can get into those difficult-to-reach areas due to its overall travel width of less than 3 feet. From its 4-wheel hydrostatic drive, powered by a 134-cubic-inch Cat Diesel engine, to its non-overcenter fiberglass upper boom capable of reaching more than 41 feet, the Backyard tree-trimming unit puts users in the right place.

The Terex Utilities Backyard aerial device compliments Terex Utilities' XT Series, which is capable of reaching 75 feet with the addition of a state-of-the-art Transverse Lift.

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Interchangeable bodies increase utilization: quick-change bodies allow trucks to perform multiple tasks.
Rental Product News;
It's often tough to justify dedicated trucks. A flatbed, water or dump truck may not get enough use to allow a clear-cut purchase decision. In these instances, a truck that allows bodies to be interchanged quickly can prove an attractive solution.

Quick-change systems come in two types. "There is a roll-off, which is a cable-based system. It uses a cable to raise and lower containers onto rails," says Fred Fisher, American Roll-Off. The second type is a hook system. "The hooklift operates from inside the cab. It works well for dump-style applications and small trucks because it doesn't weigh much."

Each type has strengths and weaknesses based on the application. For example, a small truck with a long container may favor a roll-off, while a small truck with a little container may favor a hooklift. If you tow with the truck, a hooklift may be a better choice because the cable-operated systems have more overhang. "You need to look at both systems to see which works best," says Fisher.

Hooklift expands use

High-Tech Pools Inc., a Cleveland, OH-based swimming pool contractor, builds pools for a range of clients, from theme parks and hotels to apartments and country clubs. It also builds residential pools, fountains, water features and therapy centers in hospitals. This wide variety of projects is scattered throughout Ohio and five surrounding states.

The contractor previously used a dedicated flatbed truck to move equipment and materials to jobsites. "The truck we used for that originally sat 60% of the time," says Jeff Hammerschmidt, owner/president.

Approximately five years ago, a Sterling truck with a Stellar Shuttle Hooklift and multiple bodies replaced the flatbed truck. "I did tons of homework," says Hammerschmidt. "I went out on the jobs, watched them operate and talked to owners. There are more advantages than you can imagine. Now that truck probably runs 95% of the time. It was expensive, but it is well worth it. I am getting more out of it than I expected."

High-Tech Pools uses three bodies: a flatbed, an open box and an enclosed box. The open box serves as a dump truck to carry materials and waste. The flatbed is primarily used for finishing pools. "We carry palletized sand and cement materials and tow a small plaster pump," says Hammerschmidt. It also moves equipment, including an excavator, a skid steer and trucks.

The interchangeable bodies can be loaded on the ground, then lifted onto the truck. This enables High-Tech Pools to also use the flatbed body as a tow truck. Several SUVs, 1-ton+trucks and vans travelling over a six-state territory translate into the occasional breakdown.

"When we break down, we put another truck on the back of the flatbed and take it to the down truck," says Hammerschmidt. "We exchange the equipment they had in the truck right on the side of the road so no one is missing a beat, except for the time that it takes to get to them." There is no towing fee and the down truck can be taken to a familiar repair shop.

The enclosed body also serves a dual purpose. "The enclosed body that we have is 22-ft. fiberglass construction with a translucent roof," says Hammerschmidt. "It's relatively light." In addition to storing equipment, the company name is placed on the side of the body and it's used as a mobile office, replacing jobsite trailers. "We are down to three trailers. Before we had five or six," he adds.

True multitasking

Ayars and Ayars is a Lincoln and Omaha, NE-based general contractor that performs commercial and light industrial work. Despite an extensive equipment fleet, Ayars and Ayars only needs three medium-duty trucks. Two of them are equipped with Stellar Shuttle Hooklifts and one is a 5-yd. dump truck.

These hooklifts serve as true multi-tasking tools. "We probably have 30 sites right now on the books," says Darin Mensik at Ayars and Ayars. The trucks with the hooklifts have dedicated drivers, and they run between all of the sites, racking up 40,000 miles a year.

Ayars and Ayars has 29 open-top containers, a dump truck body, flatbeds and 32 enclosed containers for the hooklift. The open-top containers are used for cleaning up the jobsite. The dump body is used for granular material and flyash.

The flatbeds are used to haul equipment. "You can raise one piece up on the flatbed with the hook, then tow a trailer for mobilization and demobilization," says Mensik. Loading equipment on the flatbed at ground level is also safer, especially with equipment such as aerial work platforms.

Similar to High-Tech Pools, Ayars & Ayars uses enclosed, 20-ft.-long containers for general jobsite material storage and as replacements for jobsite trailers. "The benefits are no wheels, no license plates, no lights and no maintenance," says Mensik. "They are more secure. We have less thefts."

Flatbeds organize jobsites

Kale's Nursery, Princeton, NJ, is a design/build firm that caters to high-end residential and commercial customers. Along with its fleet of backhoes, light dozers, skid-steer loaders and tractors, Kale's has two hooklifts. The first was purchased approximately nine years ago and installed by American Roll-Off.

The hooklifts have proven trouble free and have helped Kale's organize its jobsites. "We preload our jobs on flatbed bodies," says Doug Kale. Materials for a specific job are loaded onto a flatbed body in the yard. The truck then picks up the designated flatbed, transports it to the jobsite and sets it on the ground. "The body stays there and the landscape crew works off of it," says Kale.

The flatbeds are also used to move equipment. "We have D-rings that hold the equipment down with chains," says Kale. "When you take equipment off, the body is flat on the ground. It is up about 6 or 8 in. and you can just pull right off of it with your equipment."

According to Kale, this has helped reduce workmen's comp claims. "We have less injuries from people trying to tie down loads and falling off of the truck," he states.

The company has approximately six 22-ft. flatbeds. One has a water tank mounted for jobsites where water is not readily available. In addition, Kale's has 20- and 30-yd. dumpster bodies that help the 12 landscape crews sort recyclable materials and waste.

Kale's has been impressed with the productivity of the hooklifts. "You get one larger hooklift truck and it really ends up being six trucks in one," says Kale. "We keep it on the road all of the time."

Choosing the correct hoist

Quick-change systems are available in lift capacities from 3,000 up to 65,000 lbs. Fully loaded bodies can be picked off the ground as long as everything is matched to the capacity of the hoist system.

Two common hooklift designs are the single-pivot and the double-pivot. "The single-pivot designs weigh less," says Fisher. They are also less expensive, but they almost touch the ground when they dump.

A roll-off system dumps in a manner similar to a single-pivot hooklift, notes Fisher. "Most roll-offs touch the ground when they dump at 52[degrees]," he explains. "The dual-pivot designs are more like a dump truck, but they are about 20% more in price."

In addition, the weight of the hooklift's hoist system reduces payload. "Most double-pivot systems being sold today in the 20,000-lb. range on a single-axle truck weigh about 2,800 lbs.," says Glenn Rasmus, distributor sales manager, Stellar Industries.

The initial purchase price of the systems varies with the design and capacity. For example, look at a double-pivot hooklift. Rasmus explains that if you buy a 12,000-lb. hook for a 19,000-lb. GVW truck, it is roughly one-third the cost of an additional chassis. If you look at a 65,000-lb. hook for a tandem-axle chassis, depending upon the make of the chassis, it could be from one-third to one-half the cost of a second chassis.

Fisher encourages customers interested in a smaller truck to buy as close to 25,900-lb. GVW as possible because it is the largest non-CDL vehicle. "The minimum GVW we suggest is 15,000 lbs.," says Fisher. "At 25,900 lbs., you get a 10,000-lb. payload. At a 15,000-lb. GVW, you only get 6,000 lbs. of payload. If you start with too small a truck, there is nowhere to grow with the system."

According to Bud Greenert, product manager, Bucks Fabricating specializes in truck sizes in which traditional designs are not practical due to weight or cost. This includes light medium-duty trucks in Classes 3 through 6.

The company's Switch-N-Go system uses a scissor hoist with an electric/hydraulic pump and an electric winch. There are 9,000-, 12,000- and 15,000-lb. lift capacities.

The Switch-N-Go system adds approximately 1,000 lbs. to the chassis weight. "If you have a dump truck, you still have the dump cylinders and the weight of the body. In essence, there is a 500-lb. difference between our system and a dump body on that chassis," says Greenert.

Benefits vs. cost

If you currently get maximum utilization out of your medium- and heavy-duty trucks, then interchangeable bodies are probably not well suited for your operation. But many of you have underutilized trucks that drive up costs while they sit idle.

To determine if you might benefit from quick-change systems, Rasmus advises identifying similar cab-to-axle chassis in your fleet with similar-length bodies. "Do a mileage check on a monthly basis because the truck will not make you money if it is sitting there," he states. In some cases, a quick-change system can eliminate underutilized chassis.

The ability to use multiple bodies on one chassis can also offer other economic benefits. There is only one chassis to maintain and total insurance and licensing fees are reduced. Plus, you no longer have to dedicate trucks to specialty applications that are only occasionally performed. "Anything that fits on a truck now, you can put on with this system," says Greenert.

TruckCraft TC-200 COMBO

The TC-200 COMBO converts a single- or dual-wheel pickup to a combination service/dump body.

* Aluminum body designed for a full-size pickup

* Provides 32 cu. ft. of storage and 2.4 cu. yds. of dump volume with a 5,000-lb. dump capacity

* Body for single-rear-wheel pickups weighs 805 lbs., approximately 405 lbs. more than the original pickup bed

* Virtually no modification required to the chassis

 

Stellar X-Tra-Lift Xchange 3

The X-Tra-Lift Xchange 3 pickup-mounted hydraulic loading device is designed to provide expanded uses not available with a standard pickup box.

* Hydraulic single-pivot hooklift capable of interchanging 9-ft.-long bodies with a total weight of 3,000 lbs.

* Allows for loading and off-loading and for dumping loads at up to a 45[degrees] tipping angle with an 8-ft.-long body

* Various bodies can be exchanged such as dump boxes, flatbed bodies and small water or fertilizer tanks.

 

American Roll-off HA-175 Hook Lift

The HA-175 Hook Lift from American Roll-off is a 17,500-lb.-capacity dual-pivot unit designed for use on a 25,900-lb. GVW non-CDL chassis.

* Dumps like a true dump truck and allows the operator to switch bodies to increase truck utilization and versatility

* Utilizes dual lift cylinders and operates at 2,800 psi

* Easily picks up and dumps 12- to 14-ft. containers

 

Bucks Fabricating Switch-N-Go

Switch-N-Go truck systems can change beds in a matter of minutes, yet provide a securely attached truck body for movement down the highway.

* For 11,000 to 26,000 GVW trucks

* Can lift a loaded bed filled with cargo without a dock or a fork truck

* Can dump at a 50[degrees] angle

* Allows one truck to be used with four or five different bodies

 

Amerideck ChoreMaster

The ChoreMaster cargo loading system loads up to 2,000 lbs. from ground level into a truck in seconds.

* Insert dump unit offers over 40 cu. ft. of capacity for up to a full ton of loose material

* Cargo box easily detaches to become drop and leave refuse container

* Installed in any full-size pickup truck in less than two hours

 

Standard Hamilton Dump-Pro

Standard Hamilton's Dump-Pro enables a user to go from pickup to dump truck in minutes with the Quick Change-Out option.

* Polyethylene dump body

* Drive system does not require hydraulics

* WarnWorks winch provides lifting and dumping power

* 60[degrees] dump angle

* 3,000-lb. payload capacity

* Weighs under 400 lbs. and fits most pickups

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Bucket truck safety: avoid falls and electrical hazards when using an aerial device
Arbor Age By: Waybright, Chad

THE AERIAL OPERATOR HAS THE MOST AFFECT ON THE SAFE OPERATION OF AN aerial device. He has an impact on receiving proper training, proper operation of the equipment, use of equipment as intended, and maintenance of the equipment. All are essential components for safe operation.

Safety rules have been developed as a result of repeated accidents, and these rules are written in blood. Following the safety rules every day is your only option. Let's look at just two items that can be hazards for an arborist: falls and electrical contact. Learn and follow proper work practices, because they have been developed to prevent accidents, including falls and electrical incidents.

Falls

When working from a bucket truck, taking precautions to prevent a fall is imperative. The operator is required to wear a fall protection system with the lanyard attached to the manufacturer supplied "D" ring.

Although not all from bucket trucks, four people fall every working day. Overreaching and not standing on the basket floor with both feet often results in falling out of a basket. However, being ejected from the basket is the majority of falls from buckets. There are several ways this can happen.

* The bucket truck is struck by another vehicle.

* An object, such as a tree branch, can strike the basket or boom.

* The basket or boom can snag on something and suddenly release, causing the boom to recoil.

* A lift rope can break, or the load slip while using a material handling aerial device.

* A rope used to tie off a branch to a tree can slip and allow the branch to fall or swing into the boom or basket.

* A mechanical part of the leveling system can fail from overload or improper maintenance causing the basket to tilt.

* A cut can go wrong and a branch fall the wrong way.

A fall to the ground can be prevented if the operator wears a fall protection system. The equipment owner and the operator must determine what type of OSHA-approved fall protection system they will need to use. Then it is up to the operator to always wear the harness, inspect it daily before use, and adjust it to fit, according the fall protection manufacture's instructions. An improper fitting harness can increase the chance of injury. Lastly, do not forget to attach the lanyard to the attachment point provided by the aerial manufacturer. Proper maintenance and skillful operation and techniques can prevent most accidents.

Electrical Contacts

You cannot tell what an object's electrical potential (voltage) is. Whenever you work near power lines, there is the possibility of an electrical contact. Proper precautions and following proper work rules will provide some protection from this unseen danger. Only a line clearance arborist can work around power lines. You must have the proper training to recognize the hazards in line clearance and know the techniques and equipment required to work in the vicinity of power lines. Unless you are a trained lineman or are a qualified line-clearance arborist authorized to work near energized lines, you and the equipment you are operating must maintain a minimum 10-foot clearance from all power lines. This 10-foot clearance increases with voltages of 50KV or greater. If you are an arborist and see a downed or damaged line, do not try to repair it. Contact the electrical system owner/operator of the power line. When your work may be too close to a power line, contact the power line electrical system owner/operator. They are much better equipped to handle problems safely.

To define some of the terms used: current is the flow of electricity, measured in amps; voltage is the force--the difference of potential--causing the current to flow, measured in volts; and resistance is the property trying to prevent current flow, measured in ohms.

Your body operates on electricity, the nerves use an electrical signal to see, think, make muscles move, indicate temperature, and let you know when you have an injury (pain). Low levels of an outside source of electrical current vary from undetected to where it will disrupt the body's electrical system and cause pain. At higher levels it can cause the muscles to contract intensely and interfere with the heart's function. At high levels it can cause severe burn injuries.

It does not take much current to affect the human body. Very small currents can be fatal. As the current flow increases, the tissue damage to the body increases. The damage will be determined by the power to which a body is exposed. This power is a function of the length of time of contact and the amount of current flowing through the body. Keep in mind that an electrical burn caused by a high-voltage contact causes current to flow through the blood and bone marrow. It literately cooks the body from the inside out. Further, a high-voltage electrical contact keeps on destroying tissue even after the voltage has been removed. High voltage is defined as equal to or greater than 600 volts. A distribution power line primary phase to ground potential can be anywhere from 2,400 volts to 19,900 volts.

Electrocution occurs when a person's body becomes a path for electric current. You place your body in a position to become an electrical path by touching, or getting too close to, two objects at a difference of potential (voltage). The voltage difference causes the current flow between the parts of the body in contact. You do not have to touch an object to be a path. The current can jump through air if the distance, voltage level and weather conditions are suitable. Current can also flow over what are normally considered non-conductive parts caused by surface contamination. These include dirt, moisture and oils. Here's what's important; any time any two parts of your body are placed between a difference of potential, current will flow. The amount of current flowing through your body is determined by the amount of resistance. The higher the resistance, given the same voltage, the lower the current flow. Conversely, given the same voltage, the lower the resistance, the higher the current flow. Lineman's rubber gloves and insulated booms provide an extremely high resistance. Leather gloves and moist skin provide a low resistance.

There is a false impression that current follows the path of least resistance. Current follows every path it can find. Lower resistance paths have more current flowing through them, but all paths will have a current flow--this is Ohm's Law. Even though there may be a lower resistance path for current flow, it does not take much current to be fatal. Consider a condition called a ground fault. This can have a momentary current surge in distribution power lines up to 15,000 amps. Remember, current will seek ground through every path available.

Current flow is not always from a hot wire in one hand to the ground under your feet. It can be:

* From a tree branch touching an energized phase or part, through your saw, to you and down to the ground through the tree you are climbing.

* From an energized phase wire, through you, to a neutral or ground wire.

* From an energized phase wire, through you, to a different phase wire.

* From a branch you are trying to remove, through the rope to the person handling the rope.

* From a tree branch you are holding, through you, to the controls you are operating when part of the aerial boom tip touches an energized phase or part.

* From an energized phase wire in contact with, or too close to, a non-insulated portion of a boom, through you, while standing on the ground touching the truck or attached chipper.

* From one foot, through you, to the other foot if standing near an energized vehicle or tree that has become energized (note:this is known as step potential).

* From the ground you are standing on, through you, to a tree you are removing, if an energized phase is contacting a branch of the tree.

* From an energized phase hidden in the branches through the branches and down the tree to you when you drill it to inject chemicals.

This partial list gives examples of contact possibilities. There are many possible combinations where a person's body can become a path for current, whenever a difference of potential exists. Remember, whenever any two parts of your body are at a difference of potential, current will flow. You must be aware of the clearance distance required to power lines. See ANSI Z133.1 for proper clearance distances.

Your bucket truck has three components that will provide some protection if they are properly maintained by being kept clean, dry and periodically tested per ANSI A92.2:

1. A basket liner will protect only that portion completely inside the liner. Anything conductive that extends out of the liner will conduct electricity into the liner and make it ineffective.

2. The insulating section of the upper boom will prevent current flow from the boom tip through the boom to the elbow only.

3. The lower boom insert will provide an insulating section between the elbow and the truck chassis.

The boom tip does not provide insulation because it contains metal components to provide structural support. Manufacturers place a band of arrows on the upper boom to show the end of the insulated section. Past the band of arrows on the boom, any part of the boom tip that contacts a energized line or part will become energized at that potential. Also, any part of the boom tip that contacts a grounded component will ground the entire boom tip. This includes the controls and all other components that are past the band of arrows. Covers and guards may provide limited protection but you cannot depend on them. They are not tested or maintained to provide electrical protection. Contact of fiberglass covers and guards with energized parts may arc along the surface or through the fasteners to metal under the cover and energize the entire boom tip. You must maintain proper clearance from all sources of electricity.

Just because you are in an aerial device you are not protected from all contact with an energized object. If you touch or are part of a path between two objects at different potential you can be electrocuted. The aerial device will only prevent one energized source having a path to ground through the boom. You are not like a bird on a wire.

Tool Hoses

Another hazard on aerials involves the tools you use. Many aerials are equipped with hydraulic tools such as power saws and loppers. The tools are connected to the bucket truck's hydraulic system through the tool hoses, which must be non-conductive. They are orange color and have NON-CONDUCTIVE printed on them. Inspect the hoses in the area just beyond the fittings for any wrinkling. Wrinkling is an indication of hose failure that's about to occur. Black tool hoses may be reinforced with wire braid and they are conductive. If a conductive tool hose bridges across electric lines it can cause an arc. A sustained are will melt a hole in the hose and ignite the mist that escapes. Since the hoses and hydraulic oil are flammable, the escaping oil will form a blowtorch and could spray the operator with ignited hydraulic oil. There have been far too many failed basket rescue attempts with a fire at the boom tip and an operator on fire because of poor or no training on basket rescue techniques, or failure to practice this necessary procedure periodically. The operator and the ground crew must know how to perform a basket rescue, especially in the case of a fire or an electrical contact. The operator's life is at stake here. If you don't know basket rescue techniques, find out.

An arborist's job is hazardous enough. That's why we follow the safety work rules and use the equipment properly in an earnest effort to prevent accidents.

RELATED ARTICLE: Effects of Electrical Current on the Human Body

Voltages as low as 12 volts can cause the following reactions with an average person when current flows through the heart area:

1 milliamp is one one-thousandth (1/1000) of an ampere.

 Current                 Reaction          
Less than one milliamp  No sensation          
1 to 8 milliamps        Slight shock, no pain          
8 to 15 milliamps       Painful shock, some muscular contraction          
15 to 20 milliamps      Loss of muscular contraction          
20 to 50 milliamps      Severe muscular contraction          
30 to 100 milliamps     Possible heart failure          
100 to 200 milliamps    Probable heart failure      

A retired Training Specialist with Utility Equipment Resources, Chad Waybright was associated with the utility industry for 34 years. His work in developing utility equipment operator safety programs is the result of his exposure to operating and maintaining both aerial devices and digger/derricks. His published articles, training methods and safety seminars were developed by working with various manufacturers and their engineering departments to produce effective operator training

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Safer and smarter - Bucket truck design
Fleet Owner,  by Sean Kilcarr

Designing work trucks for electric utilities is a complex job When it comes to designing and building work trucks for the utility, telecommunications and tree-trimming markets, Altec Industries' goal is to produce vehicles that help them work "safer and smarter."

"When we talk about work trucks and the concept of safer and smarter vehicles for these markets, we're talking about equipment that must do two key things: help the customer be more productive while making their operating environment safer," says David Boger, vp-marketing and technology.

It may be a simple concept in theory but, in practice, designing safer and smarter work trucks - especially for the electric utility industry - is quite complex. That's largely due to the deregulation of electric markets across the U.S., which has changed how electric utility fleets structure their operations.

For example, says Boger, most electric utilities are streamlining their line crews as a way to trim overall operating costs so they can be more competitive. "As deregulation has taken hold, there's been a decrease in the number of personnel on line crews," he explains. "As crew sizes get smaller, we're seeing a need for smaller aerial devices placed on smaller chassis. That type of design tends to be less costly, but it's also expected to perform more jobs; a kind of `Swiss army knife' type for utility vehicles."

With fewer trucks to perform more tasks, electric utility fleets need equipment that is more durable and reliable than ever. Vehicles are also expected to have longer maintenance intervals.

"Manufacturers are expected to be more involved in keeping maintenance costs lower," Boger points out. "We help calculate optimum replacement times, provide maintenance outsourcing, rental and leasing options and other services. To be successful, we have to find ways to save fleets money. We must deliver economic payback through greater vehicle productivity and lower operational costs. That's what we mean by `smarter' work trucks."

Safety, however, is also a preeminent concern. "We understand that working with electricity is a very dangerous profession. Yet the business community and general public do not tolerate even short power outages, whether storm-related or otherwise," says Boger. "Therefore, we're dedicating more resources to accident prevention and equipment training programs for linemen as a way to help them work safer. Training is the most effective means to avoiding accidents. We also believe equipment plays a role in safety, so we incorporate features onto aerial devices that make them safer."

Though implementing its "safer and smarter" philosophy is a large undertaking, Altec is used to such challenges. Founded in Birmingham, Ala., in 1929 as the Alabama Truck Equipment Co., Lee Styslinger Jr. changed the company's name to Altec when he was forced to take over the company in the 1950s at age 19 after his father died unexpectedly.

Altec has grown from 20 employees and one facility to a company with manufacturing plants, final assembly facilities and service centers located throughout the U.S. and Canada. Although Altec sells aerial devices, digger derricks, and other specialty utility equipment in over 100 countries worldwide, it's still a family business, with Lee Styslinger III its president and CEO.

Altec is a longtime member of the National Truck Equipment Assn. (NTEA), and uses trade shows like NTEA's as a communication platform to keep its "safer and smarter" work-truck message in the public eye.

"We use trade shows to reinforce our `safer and smarter' message in the work-truck community," says Boger. "Our customers need to run their operations like profitable businesses, but they also want to do so as safely as possible. We take care of their equipment needs so they can achieve those two goals. That's the clear message we want to send to the work-truck marketplace