I am a certified electrician and an apprentice power-line technician.
Meaning? I get to work around high voltages for a living.
Most of the time, the very strict security procedure regarding working around electrical equipment impose to shut down the main source of power. We then use what is called a lockout procedure and each person working downstream of the main power source being shut down MUST apply his/her special lock (only one key are made per lock) as well as a safety tag.
A misconception about working with electricity is that the higher the voltage, the more dangerous it is. The reality is that the high voltages have very strict safety procedure that are much harder to bypass than working on lower voltages. Changing a light fixture on a 12 foot ladder without turning off the power could end up with a non lethal electrical shock that could cause a lethal fall.
I often cannot shut off the main power source when I am working on someone panel board in a house. The voltage doesn't exceed 240 Volts but the fact that the resident needs their lights and heaters makes it so that I have to work nearby live electrical part that could seriously hurt.
The metal parts at the center bottom of the panel are live and cannot be shut down without putting the all house in the dark:
I really enjoy what I do as it is different every day and I have to stay sharp to stay alive. It is important to remember that electricity kills someone everyday and that no one must become to complacent about working around it, it is a silent killer.
