Tom Horne, Electrician wrote:
Jeff Wisnia wrote:

Doug Miller wrote:


Won't notice the difference unless he happens to get his fingers on
the base of the bulb while changing bulbs, anyway...


To put that in perspective...

AND, the wall switch is on, AND, he's also touching something
grounded.....G

Jeff


Jeff
I've transported some pretty seriously injured electric shock victims on
the ambulance in the course of thirty years of service who were not
grounded at the time of the shock. When someone gets a shock all
affected muscles contract and the stronger ones win the argument. This
can cause people to throw themselves of of ladders, smash their head
into things and so forth.

Also many ceiling lights require you to hold on to some grounded part
with one hand while re lamping with the other hand. Some examples are
chain supported fixtures and most chandeliers. Add to that the folks
who climb on chairs and balance themselves by holding on the fixture and
you have a real hazard.

I agree completely, and touching a metal fixture body was the first
thing which came to my mind which would ground (most likely) the bulb
changer's other hand.

I was trying to point out that just touching the base of the bulb while
it was still partially screwed into a cross wired socket wouldn't
necessarily give him/her a shock, other things were needed to power up
and complete the "shocking" circuit.

In retrospect I believe it would have been better if I'd just kept my
smart-ass comments to myself.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.