Power-transmission line?

Question

Before working on a power-transmission line, linemen will touch the line with the back of the hand as a final check that the voltage is zero. Why the back of the hand?

Answer 1

First of all, you don't have hair on the front side, do you? The hair at the back of your hand will let you feel the static effect of high voltage when you approach your hand to the checkpoint.

Secondly, in case it is still electrified, you can pull your arms easily as compared to the case with the front of your hand. Well, this point is not quite logistic but it's about instinct. That's how a human would feel due to his safety instinct.

I hope you have your answer.

Answer 2

I don't think a lineman that does this would be around for very long, but one explanation might be that if they use the front of their hand the shock could cause the muscles to spasm making the hand close around the energized line, instead of pulling away?

Answer 3

Where did you get this information?

Power transmission lines operate at thousands and many thousands of volts. High voltage procedures insist that the power is correctly isolated and grounded before work is done unless the line is to stay live and the live work procedure uses an electrode to equalize the potential of the linesman and his equipment before he touches anything.

I think someone is mis-informing you about "back of hand". Getting close to a high voltage line with any part of the hand would be, almost certainly, fatal.