Every time I strap on my hooks, I run the same checks — harness fit, 100% tie-off, three points of contact, proper cover-up, and test-before-touch — even on a 2 a.m. storm call. What are the non-negotiables you hold to on a 40-foot wood pole or working a 12kV feeder when the pace starts to push?
I add one tiny step before I leave the ground: I physically squeeze and twist every gate on my lanyard and positioning strap after I clip in — caught a half-latched snap on a 2 a.m. storm call, and that’s stuck with me. It pairs with your “test-before-touch” on a 12kV feeder, and yeah it feels basic, but fatigue makes thumbs lie. Anyone else do a quick gate squeeze after each re-tie-off mid-move; that habit has saved me more than once?
Before I set gaffs on a 40’ wood pole, I do a full 360 sound-and-probe at groundline and again at waist height — “no sound, no climb” — especially on a 2 a.m. storm call when rot hides under shell. If anything feels spongy, I’ll throw a temp guy or call for a bucket, even if it slows the 12kV feeder restore. @lucas_mar20 you carrying a probe bar or just the hammer?
I re-verify my meter on a known live source right before and right after the ‘test-before-touch’ — twice it caught a fading battery that would’ve lied to me past midnight. If I can’t prove the tester, I swap to a backup or use a hot stick reading instead; @Riley, you ever see a tick drift when it’s cold?