Tools and equipment for live working

Methods for working on overhead power lines whilst the circuit remains energised have been around since the turn of the Century. As the need came to work on lines of higher capacity and therefore higher voltages, so came the requirement for complementary tools and equipment using advanced technology and materials. Supplemental to this came the requirement for more efficient and productive work methods and the design and use of mechanical aids. This paper discusses the historic development of some of the important tools and associated equipment for distribution live working using the "rubber glove" technique from its inception through to present day including the importance of care, maintenance and periodic testing. The theme of the paper is to promote the concept that "nothing is too good where a life is at stake".