-----Original Message-----
From: James Collum [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2001 1:29 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Sometimes product safety just isn't enough
Following a recent airline flight, I was given a bag of peanuts, marked
"Peanuts" which contained a health warning "contains peanuts".
I was thinking that in a similar style that maybe electrical products could
have an added warning "may contain electricity".
The "may" would elude to the connection of a mains cable for mains powered
equipment, or even batteries in battery powered equipment. I think the IEC
should be prompt to act in this vital area.
Following this illogical train of thought, the swimming pool should have a
warning "contains water" and the ladder could have a warning "may alter
altitude".
But on a slightly more serious note (but not much) If I am ever present when
someone is about to do something interesting with electricity I always
advise that the person about to do the deed make sure to note who present
will provide the "kiss of life" when it all goes pear shaped. It tends to
work (although I don't know why, as I think I'm very kissable).
Jim
Which reminds me of an incident of mis-communication which happened when I
arrived home one rainy afternoon. As I parked my car, I observed my
neighbor's 11 yo boy climbing to the top of a tree in their yard. The tree
was located in the "utility easement", and had grown so tall that the
branches actually were higher than the three powerlines. (Yes, the 3-wire
single phase, 120-0-120 VAC; I just had to add that from another thread.
<g>) As I looked at him, he was reaching over his head, trying to climb past
the level of the wires! And he was standing in a damp tree during a light
rain.
Sometimes you may worry that a sharp warning might cause an accident, but I
shouted to him that those wires were dangerous and to not climb any higher.
He replied that he was safe because he knew how to climb a tree. (My
neighbor, let us say, has raised a crop of dim bulbs.) I shouted to him that
both of those wires were hot, that the tree was grounded, and since he was
in the wet tree, he was grounded. Most logical.
Well, he didn't reply, but sullenly started down the tree. I went inside,
but my phone range a couple of minutes later. It was his mother, asking what
I had said to her son. When I told her, she laughed and said that her son
had complained that "nobody but his father could tell him that he was
grounded!" ("Grounded" is a state of social restriction used as a punishment
by American parents.)
Regards,
Ed
(who has a long history of being grounded)
Ed Price
[email protected]
Electromagnetic Compatibility Lab
Cubic Defense Systems
San Diego, CA USA
858-505-2780 (Voice)
858-505-1583 (Fax)
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