This article was posted 11/13/2009 and is most likely outdated.

StreetZaps
 

 

Topic - Safety
Subject - StreetZaps

November 13, 2009
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StreetZaps

 

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StreetZaps advice: Eyeball the Block, Avoid a Shock - Take a walk on the safe side!

Manhole covers, trash cans, street lights – all can be a hazard if the electricity level on the street is too high. In 2004 Jodie Lane was electrocuted on a Manhattan street while walking her dog - a tragedy that stunned everyone, and changed the level of awareness everywhere.

Blair Sorrel founded a non-partisan organization called StreetZaps informing city-dwellers of the dangers of ubiquitous voltage hazards. Their goal is to "reduce the year round risk of injury and fatality from contact voltage shocking or electrocution resulting from damaged or tampered wiring."

Blair confers with Con Edison's Stray Voltage and Public Affairs Units and was the first non-electrical representative to be invited to the Jodie Lane Fourth National Conference last year. It is her firm wish to disseminate this vital public service as quickly and as widely as possible to preclude more tragedies.

Their website provides information designed to raise awareness about these hidden hazards and provides helpful hints on how to identify and avoid them. The website also encourages people to use their incident reporting tool, so that they can notify the appropriate utility company. In New York City, Con Edison welcomes the site and anything that can help it do a better job of keeping the streets safe from stray voltage.

The Jodie S. Lane Public Safety Foundation has announced its new website created to educate New Yorkers about the public safety issue of stray voltage: www.strayvoltagenyc.org.

For additional information, visit www.StreetZaps.com

Related Articles:
WPIX Morning News interviews Blair Sorrel
Animal Radio interviews Blair Sorrel
New Yorkers and dogs risk electrocution on streets
NYT articles on stray voltage

 

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Comments
  • To all theoretical and practical electrical engineers,

    What I sent to Mike Holt’s Forum is a very important question that needs to be answered immediately. Anyone who touches the metal street light pole or traffic pole with stray voltage will get an electric shock. This problem needs to be solved. Remember, all people in the United States including electrical engineers are waiting for an answer.

    Existing lamppost has no grounding rod, but has four anchor rods encased in cement. Adding a grounding rod is not possible in New York City because of all the underground infrastructure. If it was possible though, doesn’t this just add a second potential?

    Would isolation transformer help if neutral was not connected to pole in any way? 88% of the stray voltage poles are from failed and unbalanced neutrals. If not how is this application different from the use in hospital or staging application of isolation transformers?

    You haven’t given an answer to my question. Your answer is not clear and to the point.

    My Question Your Answer My Comments A. Stray voltage What do you mean stray voltage? Stray voltage on metal street light pole or traffic pole 1. Grounding and bonding Follow the Code Not a practical answer 2. Isolation transformer, it doesn’t help, why? Isolation transformer won’t solve an energized pole hazard You didn’t provide the answer “why” (see attached drawing) 3. Bracket with luminaire on wood pole should be grounded You didn’t answer See attached drawing B. Size of fuse for street light luminaire(s) Fuse are optional (recommended) Not a practical answer C. Size of wire for street light luminaire(s)

    100-watt luminaire, 150-watt luminaire, 250-watt luminaire (120-volt); Not a practical answer

    What I need is a concrete answer! Please don’t inform me to search the rest of the Internet for answer.

    Yakov Shmayevich



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