Dangerous job! I avoid electricity whenever I can, especially after that. :-D
The good thing is that I’ve always taken the high voltage stuff very seriously. I’m no longer out in the field (hands-on), but I learned from the veterans of the industry and got to hear of some very potent examples of what to NOT do around high voltage equipment.
There have been many safety procedures in place for the last few decades, designating what’s safe and what isn’t making sure things are safe to work on, a number of checks and balances in layers so that even if you screw up and miss one, there are 2 backup schemes protecting you.
From the office side, when I dealt directly with the linemen and electrician crews, having the field experience was a big plus because I could easily visualize the potential concerns and convey them to the person out on the job without even being there. I don’t deal directly any more, but I still have that mindset about things at work.
I was shown some examples of what happens when things go wrong, from melted bricks in an old substation, to the footprints on the floor of a technician taking has last steps after getting in contact with 4800 volts. Some very somber lessons.
Anyway, enough of that slide.