When I first started back in the late 80's during my second week on my own I was given a add 2 outlets at a house. I got there and they showed me where they wanted the outlets so I started working. The first was downstairs in a den and was a simple down through the floor into the unfinished basement then over to the panel box to the splitter. It went quick and easy no problem. The other was to the second floor bedroom on the same side of the house that the panel box was mounted. This was back before the cable companies did wall fishes so I would have to go through the wall down the outside of the house and then back through the wall into the basement. No problem I get my tape measure and measure from the on the outside of the house so I know where to drill my hole. I go inside up to the bedroom back to the corner where they want the outlet and measured over from the wall plugged my drill into the outlet (cordless drills were still new and only 9V) and started drilling. My drill stops and the whole house goes dark. I'm thinking s#$t I hit the wire to the outlet I plugged into my boss is going to be pissed. So I pull my drill back to get the bit out of the hole and its glowing red and brunt and melted. The first 3" up to the lead hole is gone! Now I am really nervous and wondering what I hit. By this time the home owner is in the room asking what happened and its starting to sink in what I hit. So I tell the owner I hit a wire and go outside to call my boss. I get outside and look up at where my bit should have come out and there is a huge flash mark on the side of the house and a hole dead center of the electric triplex cable about half way between the masthead and the top of the meter. I thought for sure I was going to be fired. So I call the boss tell him he's got to come out and he's not going to be happy. He shows up and sees what happened his first question was are you OK? Did you get shocked? Was anyone hurt? I answered no to all. So after the electrician left and we dealt with the home owner and the smoke cleared my boss asked me if I knew where I made my mistake? It took me a moment but then I realized when I measured on the inside of the house I forgot to allow for the thickness of the wall I measured over from, it put me 3" further over on the outside of the house and right in the middle of the triplex. I asked if I still had a job. He asked if I learned any thing I said yes I learned 2 things. He asked what they were. I told him 1 always double check before you drill and 2 thank god they make double insulated drills. If the drill were not double insulated and if I were touching any other part of the drill but the handle at the time I would have most likely have been killed. The boss told me he was sure that I would not make the same mistake again and that things like this is why they have insurance. After almost 25 years in the biz that is the only time I have ever hit anything with my drill. I did buy 2 cases of beer that week and it took almost 2 years for the guy's at the shop to stop ragging me about it. To this day I hate the name Sparky.
Re: Ooops I killed the dog !!!!!
Member #: 5567
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
3797
Name:
John
Company:
County Gov
Occupation:
Fiber Design, Construction, Maintenance
Location:
Washington DC
Personal:
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