Incidences of animals and persons being shocked and also electrocuted is more widespread than most realize.

THE FIRST PART. Light poles on the street are no different than those in a shopping center parking lot or on private property except that the ones on the streets have more animal and human contact while strolling, walking a dog or just leaning on the pole waiting on the bus. All lightpoles, fixtures, wiring, feeder circuits and other electrical systems are required by the NEC to be grounded and/or bonded to provide a low impedance ground path back to the source. This low impedance path is in most cases the equipment grounding conductor that should be run in the conduit or cable with the branch circuit or feeder to the equipment or pole in this case. It could be the conduit if metal and properly installed and bonded at termination points. This method unfortunately is used by some to save the cost of the copper equipment ground conductor. Although this is allowed by code, in my opinion it is not a long term reliable ground path since its integrity is dependant on the condition of every conduit joint, coupling and box termination in the run from the equipment back to the source. Additionally a supplemental grounding conductor and earth ground rod should be installed at every light pole to reduce the potential between the pole and the earth. The ground conductor connections to the pole should be made using compression connectors bolted to the pole with a bolt or welded stud. Th connection to the ground rod should be made by exothermic weld process. This is not required by the NEC, however if installed it would reduce the chances of a person or animal from receiving a fatal shock when they are come in contact with a light pole and the earth and becoming a parallel path that may have either leakage current or bleed current seeking or flowing to earth. The sources of the bleed current could be from nearby storm clouds. The leakage current would be present under the condition of having a defective lighting ballast and a compromised or non-existant equipment grounding path back to the source.

THE SECOND PART Lighting and other use poles along streets corners & traffic areas are subject to ocasional damage from vehicles, vandals and thieves steeling the copper wires. This presents addition hazards at these locations since a dangerous condition may exist for some time before being discovered and even longer before being corrected or replaced. Add one more hazard element to the mix in as much as many times the workers that are performing the repair or replacement may not necessarly be a qualified electrician. It may be a street or road department employee with limited knowledge of the hazards created by improper grounding.

THE SOLUTION The only solution is to increase the awareness of cities and counties street departments of the problem and the need for periodic comprehensive inspections and repair or up grade of the grounding associated with poles, manholes and other associated hazards in their areas of responsibility.

Additionally and hopefully they would recognize the need to budget for this and provide qualified persons to perform the inspections and repairs.