# How can I make this device safer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-this-device-safer/191120 "2003-07-26T18:20:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-this-device-safer/191120/21 "2003-07-27T15:45:59Z")
And for completeness, some statistics from the [Consumer Products Safety Commission](http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml02/02151.html): > [@](#): > > CPSC data show that between 1990 and 1998, more than 300 people in the U.S. were electrocuted when an antenna or pole they were holding touched a high-voltage power line. During this same timeframe, CPSC is aware of nearly 150 electrocution deaths due to ladders coming into contact with an electrical line. **Overall, CPSC estimates there are about 200 consumer product-related electrocution deaths each year** , which is down from about 600 deaths per year in the 1970s. I’d hardly call that “nothing to worry about”. Bolding mine. ---
**Author:** ![iwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a87d85/32.png) [@iwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-this-device-safer/191120/22 "2003-07-27T15:57:58Z")
Thanks for the info **Q.E.D.** did they specify what they are call “high voltage” it would take a long pole to come in contact with what we in the trade would call high voltage not to say it does not happen just that it is less likely. As for the ladders this is again most likely a 120 volt shock, as the most common point of contact for a consumer will be an overhead service drop to a house. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-this-device-safer/191120/23 "2003-07-27T16:16:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iwire \* > **…did they specify what they are call “high voltage” it would take a long pole to come in contact with…** No, they don’t specify, but given that in a typical US residential neighborhood the maximum one is likely to encounter is the pole-top 7,200 V lines, I’d say that’s what they are referring to. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-this-device-safer/191120/24 "2003-07-27T16:41:20Z")
How does an isolation transformer work to improve safety? I realize it eliminates the physical connection to ground, but its still got the full mains power coupled through it ---
**Author:** ![iwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a87d85/32.png) [@iwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-this-device-safer/191120/25 "2003-07-27T17:01:01Z")
No physical ground connection on the secondary side eliminates the possibility of a shock from the secondary live conductors and anything grounded. You could still get a shock phase to phase, this system is used in some operating rooms and the like. But they do require ground fault monitoring systems. ---
**Author:** ![NevarMore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7feea3/32.png) [@NevarMore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NevarMore)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-this-device-safer/191120/26 "2003-07-27T20:03:37Z")
EEK!! Evidently I’ve been very lucky in my dealings with borrowed tools w/ frayed cords, and idiot assistants that don’t know which way is off on a circuit breaker. Thank’s for educating me before I hurt myself. My apologies for giving bad advice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-this-device-safer/191120.md?page=1)