Re: electrocution experiences

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br>

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "spoonMAN by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<spoonman534-at-yahoo-dot-com>
> 
> On the subject of electrocuton:
> 
> If anyone is looking for new footwear, timberland makes a
> line of work boots called the pro series. One of these
> pairs of boots provides open circuit protectoin of up to
> 600 volts.. it won't do much good for higher voltages..
> it's still better than nothing.. just a thought.. ;)

600 V is very easy for shoes. Any shoe with plastic or rubber sole
supports several thousands of Volts when dry. I remember a curious
experience of a friend that passed under a high-voltage installation
that was producing intense DC corona. He was charged by the corona
and received a strong shock when a bright spark jumped from one of his
feet over his shoe to the ground, draining the charge. The experiment
was easily repeatable, but not so fun...
This same phenomenon causes serious inconveniences to people working
in dry places, because any source of static electricity (friction,
usually) charges them to high voltages and they shock other people 
and themselves easily. The solution is to wear partially conductive 
shoes, as leather shoes.
Another aspect of this is that places for demonstrations of
static electricity shall have insulating floors, otherwise any
spectator getting too close and with insulating shoes will have
sparks jumping from his feet.

Before this is too out-of-topic...

Happy New Year for all.

Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz