Handy Guide for Fibreglass Stick Maintenance

26 Oct, 2021

Fibreglass Equipment Inspection, Cleaning & Maintenance

Live line tools should be visually inspected daily before use for defects such as abrasions, blemishes, burns and surface deterioration.

Any defect is cause for rejection as it may impair the dielectric integrity. Rejection does not mean discarding the tool, only removing the tool from service and tagging.

Common stick defects to look for

Hot Sticks and Fibreglass Care & Maintenance

For instruction on how to clean hot sticks, watch our video by scanning or clicking the below QR code. Or download “Advice for the Care and Maintenance of Your Equipment” by clicking this link:

https://www.tengroup.com.au/blogs/news/2020/Apr/7/ten_care_and_maintenance

For stripping back heavy contamination and prior to re-waxing, use the Hastings All-Purpose, Safe, non-toxic, biodegradable, PH neutral & non-flammable Cleaning Concentrate (10-195).

Once the surface has been cleaned thoroughly, it is critical to re-wax the stick. The Polywater® Fibreglass Wax and Buff Kit is a simple, easy to use, one application wipe ideal for this purpose.
The lint-free wipe is saturated with fast hazing wax and a soft lint-free towelette is included for buffing the wax to a shine.
This improves the dielectric performance by restoring the water beading properties. Also available is the Polywater (W-16) bottle of wax and Hastings Hot Stick Wax 10-091.

It should be noted, waxing is best done after a thorough stick cleaning. Use of wax products over contaminated surfaces only locks the dirt in.

For spot cleaning the sticks and daily before use, the Polywater® Water Repellent Wipe (Part S-1) that (contains a minimum 60% isopropyl alcohol and silicone) helps clean and restore the water beading properties of the stick.
This will also work to sanitise the stick before and after use if used correctly. Also available for spot cleaning and daily before use is the Hastings (10-188) hot stick wipes containing silicone (note these do not have an alcohol content, these are petroleum based).

After extended periods of use and exposure to the elements your stick surface may require maintenance. Unless the tool is mechanically damaged your stick may be able to be repaired.
Stick repair should only be carried out by professionally trained personnel. Refinishing kits (10-100) and epoxy adhesive (10-097-1) are available.
Never lay your sticks directly on the ground, place them on a ground tarp (TENM705), stick rack (6780) or carry bag.
Always care for your live line tools and equipment by storing them in protective carry bags and/or in a dry area away from rain and light when not in use.

For washing booms, use the Polywater® Fibreglass Wash (FGW-640). This replaces the previous (BWC) Boom Wash Concentrate.
For spot cleaning of booms and baskets we recommend the Polywater (B-1) large format towels for cleaning grime, grease and contaminants from the surface.

Download the Stick Inspection and Cleaning Guide Here