Comparison of Two Methods for Judging Distances Near Overhead Power Lines

Sixteen certified crane operators performed several series of boom movements toward a segment of a typical power line using a 100-ton lifting capacity crane equipped with an 18-m boom, a single lifting cable, and a hard ball hook. The operators were instructed to stop the crane movement when the lifting cable reached the edge of the danger zone located 3 m from the power line. To achieve each maneuver, they evaluated the distance between the nearest wire and their crane using two methods: free sighting and the use of highly visible markers delineating the edge of the danger zone. The dependent measure was the distance between the lifting cable and the edge of the danger zone. Results showed that operators were generally unreliable when judging the distance between their crane and the power line when sighting the power line directly, but the use of markers proved to be much more precise and reliable in targeting the edge of the danger zone.