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00:00My name's Mike Rowe, and this is my job.
00:06I explore the country looking for people who aren't afraid to get dirty.
00:11That's a tricky move right there.
00:12Hard-working men and women who earn an honest living...
00:15Say, this is miserable.
00:16...doing the kinds of jobs that make civilized life possible for the rest of us.
00:20At what point will something explode?
00:22Real sad.
00:24Holy smokes.
00:25Now, get ready to get dirty.
00:31Coming up on Dirty Jobs.
00:33This tree right here is blocking the shot.
00:35In Wyoming, cameraman Doug wants to get rid of a pesky shadow.
00:39Make Doug cut it down.
00:40Look out, look out, Dave!
00:42And I learn how to pole dance.
00:43If in case the line does energize.
00:46Uh-huh.
00:46With some shocking results.
00:48And later...
00:49The bugs would have to feed every four to six hours.
00:52Something's really bugging people in San Francisco.
00:54Biting our scalp, sucking our blood.
00:56Lice happen.
00:57Sure, they're fun to joke about.
00:58That's nice.
00:59Until you come face to face with them.
01:01Oh.
01:04Oh, God.
01:21That's the Rewa Mountains back there in the distance in Colorado.
01:24And at this right here in front of me is Wyoming.
01:27And right over my head is a power line that normally has 14,400 volts running through it.
01:33I've been assured that's not the case today.
01:35And that's good news.
01:36Because the job at hand is to replace the pole holding up the line in question.
01:40This is the pole in question.
01:42And these are the men who do the work at Carbon Power Light Incorporated.
01:46You're Gabe?
01:47Kelby.
01:47You're Kelby.
01:48PJ.
01:49PJ.
01:49Bruce.
01:50Bruce.
01:50David.
01:51Well, I'm Mike and it's great to meet all of you.
01:53Why am I gasping for breath?
01:55Well, we're at 9,300 feet right here, so it might be a little higher than you're normally
01:59used to.
02:00This is a lot of impressive gear.
02:02We'll be using it today to replace this thing, right?
02:04We will be.
02:06Why does it have to be replaced?
02:07Well, what we had was an ice storm here last year in the middle of winter.
02:10And we had the top of this pole split out, so we had to cut the top of the pole
02:14out.
02:15So, you guys tend to all of the poles, all of the lines, over what basic area?
02:21Well, we have about 4,500 square miles that we cover in the southeast part of the
02:26state of Wyoming here.
02:27We have about 1,700 miles of actual line and about just a little over three customers
02:33per mile of line.
02:35So, because I'm looking, I don't see any people anywhere.
02:38How many guys do what you do?
02:40I mean, this is a co-op, right?
02:42I think there's 12 linemen total.
02:44So, 12 guys, Kelby, basically.
02:46Yep.
02:46Taking care of 4,500 square miles.
02:49Yep.
02:50And that's literally like, what, Gabe?
02:52Six people.
02:53Yeah.
02:53I love it.
02:54I mean, it's right on the cusp of futility unless you're one of the people who needs
02:59the power, in which case you're superheroes.
03:02The work is obviously difficult, but thankfully I see a machine of some sort here.
03:06We are.
03:06We're going to go ahead and dig this with a backhoe today.
03:09We're going to have to have about a five and a half foot hole.
03:11And then after that, we'll get you in a set of belt and hooks and start the job.
03:15So, we're going to climb the pole?
03:17You are.
03:18Now, you're sure there's no, I'm asking the expert, but if I'm up there, it's good to
03:22know there's no power in the line?
03:23We will double check it.
03:25Okay.
03:25We'll install the personal grounds and then at that point we'll turn you loose.
03:31Okay.
03:31But before we can even get started, we ran into a small snag, which came in the form
03:37of a rather large stand of trees.
03:39So, this is a dirty jobs first.
03:41We've decided that, well, for reasons that you don't care about, Doug has pointed out
03:47that this tree right here is blocking the shot.
03:51It's messing up his exposure.
03:53So, since it's dead anyway, we're going to cut it down.
03:57Actually, make Doug cut it down.
03:58You're the one who doesn't want the damn tree there.
04:00You cut it down.
04:01All right.
04:02That's how we do it.
04:02So, Doug's going to cut down the tree that's blocking the sun from the shot that I would
04:06like to be in.
04:07That's how you get an extra two minutes out of a show where, frankly, we're just, we're
04:11not sure how we're going to get five minutes out of it.
04:12Actually, about the day before we get going, I need to have a quick safety meeting.
04:15We don't believe in safety.
04:17I know.
04:17I know.
04:19We've been to our share of safety meetings, and so far, they haven't helped.
04:23Besides, Doug has had experience with chainsaws.
04:27Once when he was a little kid.
04:30Oh, his saw went there.
04:31Oh, dear.
04:33Oh, boy.
04:33It's all right.
04:34Wow, man.
04:35You brought a whole new technique to this.
04:36Just like I do with a camera.
04:37I let it go.
04:41Having survived Doug's flying chainsaw, we all figured things could only go uphill from
04:46here.
04:47Look out.
04:47Look out, Dave.
04:49Of course, they didn't.
04:52I have my helmet on.
04:55Oh, that's good.
04:56So when you want to have that safety meeting, Dave?
04:59Having learned absolutely nothing from his first two attempts, Doug continued his quest
05:03for perfect lighting and that ever-elusive Emmy.
05:06What the hell are we doing?
05:10There it goes!
05:14Let it go!
05:15Timber!
05:16Jesus!
05:18That one went like it was supposed to.
05:21Everybody okay?
05:22Still three of you?
05:24Yep.
05:25Can we start now?
05:27In order to replace the old pole, we'll first need to dig a hole for its replacement.
05:32And luckily for me, they've got a backhoe.
05:34Any shot that I can operate that thing?
05:37Okay.
05:40It's a hole, right?
05:41It's a hole.
05:42Where do you want it?
05:42We want it right over here.
05:45That big rock right there.
05:46On the edge of this road.
05:47In this area?
05:48Just about where that big rock is.
05:50Right here?
05:50Yep.
05:51Do you want it five and a half feet deep?
05:53We want it five and a half foot deep.
05:54How wide?
05:55The skinnier the better.
05:57Oh, right.
05:57Of course.
05:58We're talking about a pole.
05:59Yep.
06:00Alrighty.
06:01Yeah, let's try this thing out.
06:03Just between you and me, I'm going to need a fair amount of supervision.
06:06It digs pretty easy, so.
06:08Safe.
06:09You're going to get the rock out of his way.
06:11Yeah.
06:11Alright, so then, let's see.
06:13First thing I would want to do is square up like that.
06:15Yep.
06:16Then I want to extend the hoe.
06:17Yeah, just run that clear around.
06:19Right in that area?
06:20Yep.
06:21Now just curl this in that way.
06:22This way.
06:23Fascinating device.
06:24Yes, they are.
06:25Saves a lot of work.
06:26A nightmare of a day this would have been otherwise.
06:28Well, at first we didn't know we could get this in here, so we thought we were going
06:30to have to do it by hand.
06:32You know what?
06:32Back in season one, I'd have been all over that.
06:34This feels like it wants to tip over backwards.
06:36Doesn't it?
06:37It really feels like it wants to.
06:39Let's put it this way.
06:40If you're not scared, I'm not scared.
06:44I don't know enough not to be scared.
06:47Yeah, you're getting the hang of this now.
06:49Shameful.
06:50I feel like I'm cheating.
06:51One more, I'd say.
06:52That was a gainer.
06:54I think so, yeah.
06:55PJ uses an ultra high-tech stick with a line on it to let us know when we're deep enough.
07:00Got to be close, PJ.
07:03Good.
07:04Good?
07:04Let's go with it.
07:05All right.
07:07All right, it's a five-foot hole.
07:08Okay, so now what?
07:10Well, we're ready to get you in a set of belt and hooks.
07:11Let's do that.
07:13Belt and hooks.
07:14Comfortable?
07:15What's comfortable?
07:16There's nothing comfortable about this.
07:17It's fall protection.
07:18Oh, this is so I can't fall?
07:19So you can't fall clear to the ground.
07:22Unqualified climber, you get this.
07:23That's me.
07:24I'm worse than unqualified.
07:25I'm disqualified.
07:26Check our gloves.
07:27These are class three gloves.
07:29What's that mean?
07:30They're good for 30,000 volts.
07:32Well, that's good.
07:33There's only 14 in there.
07:34All right.
07:35And he's got a tester here for him.
07:37We got a test to make sure there's no holes.
07:39And how's the tester work?
07:40You get this all put on here and then you pump it up with air and then listen and look.
07:44That's just maybe the oddest thing I've seen today, Bruce.
07:48And then you just basically look them over in between the fingers for cracks.
07:52Uh-huh.
07:52Let's see.
07:53This one's good.
07:54Good.
07:54I'm going to have to give this one a shot.
07:56So first you put this in there.
07:58And then for what I think is the mildly disturbing part.
08:07I got too aggressive?
08:08Yeah, a little bit.
08:09It was exciting.
08:12That's probably good there.
08:14Before it pops off again.
08:15All right.
08:17X and holes.
08:20Well, I don't see any.
08:23That's good.
08:24Ready?
08:25I guess, man.
08:26All right.
08:27I'll put you on that side and I'll go up.
08:29It's coming right below me.
08:30You'll go first?
08:31Yep.
08:31All right.
08:32So what do I need to know?
08:34In other words, how do I do this?
08:35Well, first off, put your gas in the pole like you're going to be standing in the pole.
08:40Okay.
08:40Now just kind of lean back into this bell.
08:42Really?
08:43Yep.
08:43That's what's holding you up there.
08:45That's going to hold me?
08:46Uh-huh.
08:46And if he slips and falls?
08:47If he slips and falls, he's going down.
08:49He's coming down.
08:50There's nothing else that catches himself.
08:51Well, this is hazardous, isn't it?
08:52A little bit.
08:54Okay.
08:54When you go to start climbing, now you put one hand on this and hang on to it right there.
08:58That's how you climb.
08:58And then you lean forward and lift it up.
09:01Just like that.
09:02And if you keep your feet at the same elevation when you're doing that, it makes it easier on
09:06you.
09:07This is complicated.
09:08It's like walking.
09:09Right, left, right, left.
09:11It's more like climbing with spikes on your feet.
09:13Yep.
09:14All right.
09:14You ready?
09:15I guess, man.
09:16So you or me.
09:17I see.
09:18We're just going up to check the ground.
09:20We're going to go up, make sure it's de-energized, then we're going to put the grounds on.
09:23I'm taking smaller steps.
09:25Yep.
09:25Wherever comfortable.
09:26You can lock your knees out.
09:27Yeah?
09:27You're going to be able to last a long time.
09:30Holy crap.
09:31We're way up in the air, man.
09:32Nice view.
09:34Yeah.
09:34You ready for the stick?
09:36Yeah, ready.
09:36What's this stick called?
09:37This is called a shotgun.
09:39It'll determine if it's hot or not on their 14-4.
09:41Okay.
09:42Go ahead and stick it right up to that center phase.
09:43So we're talking the wire?
09:45Yes.
09:45Touch the wire.
09:46Mm-hmm.
09:48That guy?
09:49Yep.
09:50All right.
09:50Yep.
09:51Don't hear any tones.
09:52Lights off.
09:53So we're dead.
09:53All right.
09:54We'll go ahead and send this back down and start getting our grounds put up.
09:58Coming up.
09:59Pretty ready to go up in the air now.
10:01Generally, I'll do just about anything.
10:02Now we got to go up.
10:04I don't want to go back up there.
10:05Unless it feels like a death trap.
10:07It's 100% positively, no doubt about it, grounded.
10:09Then I'll probably do it anyway.
10:12And later, some say head lice are like fine wines.
10:16Where did these come from?
10:17These are from L.A.
10:18The best ones are imported.
10:20We don't have enough in San Francisco.
10:21We've got to go down to Hollywood to get the head lice.
10:31Now what we're going to do is called echo potential grounding.
10:34Okay.
10:34What we're going to do is we're going to put a bracket right here.
10:37That bracket is going to be connected to the ground down there.
10:40Uh-huh.
10:40From the bracket, we're going to go to the neutral to the phase.
10:42If in case the line does energize, we're going to be protected.
10:46Up until the 1930s, one in three linemen were killed on the job, mostly from electrocution.
10:52So the steps we take are vital to protecting us from becoming another statistic.
10:57Now we can put this right here.
10:58We're going to grab that part there and bring that chain over to me.
11:01First, we fasten and tighten the grounding clamp to the pole.
11:04That right there is going to have to go on our neutral.
11:07This goes on this wire?
11:08Yes.
11:08Slaps on and clamps down.
11:10Then we attach the grounded clamp to the lower neutral wire.
11:14Got her.
11:15Yeah.
11:15Yep.
11:16All right.
11:17Last one.
11:18We're going to go here, phase.
11:20All right.
11:20All right.
11:21So I'll slap this one on here and I'll give you that shotgun.
11:25And you can put it up on the phase.
11:27And finally, we connect the upper live phase wire into the grounded loop.
11:33Okay.
11:34Tight?
11:34Yeah.
11:35And free.
11:36All right.
11:38It's a new one through the legs.
11:40Never seen that before.
11:41Yeah.
11:41It's my patented move.
11:42All right.
11:43Now we're grounded.
11:44Great.
11:45So we're going to go down.
11:45Just like you climb back up.
11:47Just flip, step, flip, step.
11:50All right.
11:51This is exhausting, man.
11:53Just being up here is tiring.
11:54I think everything's falling asleep below the waist.
11:56Yep.
11:57You're completely comfortable.
11:59Yeah.
12:00No real pain in your knees, hips, nothing like that.
12:03This is something you get used to.
12:04Mm-hmm.
12:06You're on the ground.
12:08Crap.
12:09Okay.
12:10So it's 100% positively, no doubt about it, grounded.
12:14We're good.
12:15So now we're going to take a metal pole and we're going to put it in the hole we dug
12:18with
12:19the backhoe.
12:19Yep.
12:20So anybody got a big metal pole?
12:22In the 1990s, carbon power swapped over to all metal poles, which last twice as long
12:28as the traditional wooden poles.
12:30The new metal pole is first placed next to the hole for framing.
12:33What's it mean exactly, framing?
12:35Framing is putting everything on the pole that we're going to be using, like this ridge
12:40pin.
12:40So we need to put this on.
12:42We need to put a neutral spool on so the neutral can set on it.
12:45Right.
12:45And a grounding look.
12:47But anything you can do on the ground to save you any bit of work up there is always
12:51a help.
12:52What's it called again?
12:53That's a ridge pin and this is an insulator.
12:56And every single pole has a ridge pin and an insulator.
12:59Yep.
12:59That's just standard stuff.
13:00Yep.
13:01Tight, tight?
13:01Yeah.
13:02Yeah, pretty tight.
13:03We wouldn't want to invite you back out in February to tighten them back up.
13:07No.
13:07No, that would be an unfortunate phone call.
13:10Next, we attach a neutral spool.
13:12And what's its job exactly?
13:14A small insulator.
13:16And it's something to tie it to so it doesn't rub metal to metal.
13:19The neutral is what carries the unused power back to the source.
13:24Unused power gets carried back to the source through the wire that's going to go on this
13:28one.
13:28Right.
13:28Got it.
13:29All that's left is to attach a lug for the grounding wire.
13:33And that pole is framed.
13:34It's framed and ready to go up in the air now.
13:36You can run the back or you can guide it in the hole.
13:38You know, it's been a while since I've guided it in the hole.
13:42Why don't I do that?
13:43Okay?
13:45If I can't get my pole in a hole that big, honestly, we'll just wrap up and go home now.
13:50Okay.
13:51He's going to be doing all the work.
13:53So basically all we got to do is kind of keep control of it.
13:56Keep control of the pole.
13:57Yep.
13:59Because an out of control pole...
14:02Ain't a good thing.
14:03No.
14:04It could get somebody hurt.
14:06You got it there, Mike?
14:07Yeah.
14:08Okay.
14:09I think you're going to want to be just to the left of that.
14:11To the left of the pine cone.
14:12Yep.
14:13You're in there.
14:14Yeah?
14:14Yep.
14:15I see now why we need rubber gloves.
14:17That's right on that wire.
14:18Yep.
14:18So now we're going to go ahead and throw dirt in it.
14:20Throw some dirt in it.
14:21Yep.
14:22So how do you get the little grips in there?
14:24You'll have to screw them in.
14:26You screw them in on the way up?
14:27Yep.
14:27Why didn't we do that when it was lying down here?
14:29Too easy.
14:30Too easy.
14:30Yeah.
14:32I know darn well one of those guys told me that it was important to do everything to
14:37the pole you could do to the pole while the pole was lying on the ground.
14:41And now the pole is straight up in the air and we don't have any of our foot things in
14:45there.
14:45And they've explained that the reason was because it would have been too easy.
14:49That's a classic mixed message.
14:51Once the hole is filled in, we use a plumb line so the poles line up.
14:56Bruce, it's got to go to your right.
14:59A little more, a little more, a little more, a little more.
15:04Not bad.
15:05That's good right there.
15:06Not bad.
15:07I mean, we're not that perfectionist driven, are we?
15:10It's not the space shuttle.
15:11No.
15:13Can't see it from my house.
15:14No.
15:15No, good.
15:16All right, now what?
15:17Well, now we've got to go up.
15:19I don't want to go back up there, man.
15:21What we need to do is untie the wire.
15:23All right.
15:23So basically, I'm just going to follow you up again and do what you tell me.
15:25Yep.
15:26All right.
15:31Man, I'm going to be sore tomorrow.
15:33I'm sore now.
15:35We have to climb over top of that thing, aren't we?
15:37Yep.
15:37Are we going to let that down?
15:39Nope.
15:39We'll have to climb over top of it.
15:40Crap, man.
15:41In order to reach the top wires, we'll have to cross the grounding clamp we installed
15:46earlier.
15:47That means I have to unhook from my safety harness.
15:50This will take it, right?
15:51Yep.
15:51Now you want me to unclip the green one?
15:53Yep.
15:53What you need to do is lean in and I'll unclip you here.
15:58Man, I see a lot of buckles.
15:59That could be kind of confusing.
16:01It's confusing.
16:01I'd hate to undo the wrong one.
16:03Yeah.
16:04Don't do that.
16:05Man, I'm nervous.
16:06You want me to tighten that belt up?
16:08Did you feel better?
16:08No.
16:09No, it's too late for me feeling better than anything.
16:12Damn, that's high.
16:14You're up here.
16:14You're like looking out the window of a plane.
16:16Okay.
16:17Go ahead and lean back.
16:18What's got me?
16:19The green one?
16:20Both of them do.
16:20Both of them?
16:20Yep.
16:21I like the sound of that.
16:22Onward and upward.
16:23How far are we going?
16:24We're going to go to right here first.
16:26All right.
16:27You comfortable there?
16:29Sure.
16:30You can work this stuff here?
16:31Yep.
16:31Yeah, I can do this.
16:32All right.
16:33What you want to do, start taking this wire, start just taking it off.
16:37What's this wire called?
16:39That is soft drawn.
16:41Aluminum.
16:44Oh, God.
16:46How are your feet?
16:47Killing me.
16:48This is the state of the art tool, huh?
16:51That's it.
16:52Coming up.
16:53Not trying to get fresh.
16:55No, I understand.
16:56It can get lonely out on the prairie.
16:58You like that?
16:58No, but it's all right.
17:00What happens on the pole stays on the pole.
17:09So this is now free.
17:10That's free.
17:11This guy here.
17:12And you can see right where it's going to fall there, right?
17:15Yep.
17:15All right, cool.
17:16Now what?
17:16Now, we need to get up over this to untie that.
17:20Jeez, a whiz.
17:21Once again, I'll have to endure the peril and indignity of jumping my safety harness over a line.
17:27You like that?
17:28No, but it's all right.
17:30I'm not trying to get fresh.
17:32No, I understand.
17:33Do what you have to.
17:34What happens on the pole stays on the pole.
17:37Now, it's a trip to the top of the pole where we'll unhook the last line.
17:42Feels like you're on top of the world up here, doesn't it?
17:44It kind of does.
17:45Same thing with that guard.
17:47Yep.
17:48What a pain in the ass.
17:50This can't be near as bad as washing windows in Hawaii, is it?
17:53It's worse, dude.
17:54Yeah?
17:54Yeah.
17:55Really?
17:55Yeah, absolutely worse.
17:56This.
17:58I'm hanging on by a little tiny piece of something.
18:01You mean you like Hawaii better than Wyoming?
18:04No offense, but I don't see any surf yet.
18:08No?
18:08So we're done, right?
18:10That's it.
18:10We're just headed down now.
18:15Grounded.
18:17That's it.
18:18Okay, so now what?
18:19Now you get to climb that one.
18:21Oh, come on.
18:23You don't need those physically punishing climbing spears for a metal pole.
18:27This modern marvel has a form of torture all its own.
18:31Installing individual foot pegs all the way to the top.
18:34Yeah, that's plain.
18:35Yeah, I want them tight.
18:36You know what I'm saying?
18:37Yeah.
18:38Okay.
18:39Remember, you got to take them back out.
18:41Why?
18:41We don't want the general public crawling up there.
18:44Oh, you mean you're not doing all these on the way back down?
18:46Yep.
18:46Oh, come on.
18:47Seriously?
18:48Yep.
18:48Again, with respect to the general public, where are they?
18:53There's no public here in general.
18:56PJ, I think I'm going to hate this job, man.
18:59It's going to take forever.
19:00It takes a while.
19:01It's going to take forever.
19:02It's not going the wrong way.
19:03It's going to take forever.
19:05A 30-foot metal pole requires the installation of 18-foot pegs.
19:10I know this because I installed every last one of them to finally reach the top.
19:16There you go.
19:17Jeez.
19:19That's a lot of wiggling.
19:20So what's the job, PJ?
19:22What am I doing?
19:23Putting this guy in the phase?
19:24Put that phase in the insulator.
19:27This guy goes up like this?
19:28All the way on top.
19:30There you go.
19:30All the way on top.
19:31All right.
19:31Now you've got to get this thing.
19:33Yeah.
19:33You're going to slide this over the top of the wire and pull it around the insulator.
19:38Sheesh.
19:39So, this way?
19:40Yep.
19:41Yeah.
19:41What I'm doing here, PJ, is falling back on all my training.
19:44I realize I don't know what the hell I'm doing.
19:47I hear all the words, man, but I don't know ultimately what it's supposed to look like.
19:51Let me try.
19:53It's going to clip like that.
19:55Go ahead and do it if you can.
19:56If I was just a little bit taller, it'd be, uh-oh, the rubber thing.
20:00If I was just a little bit smarter, I'd get it for you.
20:02I'm going to bring it around.
20:04Hang on.
20:05I'm sorry, man.
20:05You're fine.
20:05I cannot feel my feet at all.
20:07You're fine.
20:08That ain't good.
20:08Nope.
20:10Are you?
20:11I'm failing.
20:12Are you going down or?
20:14Well, no, I'm going to hang right here.
20:16Got no feeling.
20:17Knees down.
20:18Nothing.
20:19We're down up here.
20:20We just got to do the neutral now.
20:22That's the thing my hand's on right now, isn't it?
20:24Yeah.
20:25If you want to do it right there, you can.
20:27I'm right here.
20:28It's the same thing.
20:29Lift the wire, put it up on the spool there, Mike.
20:32Yeah, like that?
20:33Yeah.
20:34All right.
20:35Okay, there's your tie.
20:36And it's got a rubber deal on there.
20:39Oops.
20:40What was that?
20:41That was the rubber deal.
20:43Oh, God.
20:44Once the crew sent us up another rubber deal, we fastened it,
20:48along with some more ties to secure the line against high winds, cold winters.
20:54Is that about right?
20:55Yeah.
20:55That'll do, my friend.
20:57Right there.
20:57Okay.
20:58Down we go.
20:59Yep.
21:00Now, all that's left is to remove all 18 of the foot pegs on our way down.
21:05You do this in zero degrees, huh?
21:06Yes, sir.
21:07You got big ones, PJ.
21:09It's the last time these guys got a raise, Dave.
21:11Steel poles aren't that much fun, are they?
21:13They really aren't.
21:14Are we done?
21:15We were close.
21:17Yeah?
21:17We've got to cut this old wood pole off, get it out of the way, and then we're good
21:22to go.
21:23All right, the pole's got to come down.
21:25You don't need two poles, you just need the one.
21:27This is now officially obsolete.
21:29The pole itself is approximately 30 feet.
21:31With many luck, the camera on the top will not crash directly into the camera on the ground.
21:35I like it.
21:39I like it.
22:05It's been a pleasure.
22:06You bet.
22:07Good fun.
22:08Bruce?
22:10Fantastic.
22:11Great work.
22:12Good fun.
22:13Thank you, Mike.
22:13Thanks, PJ.
22:14Mike.
22:15Good work with you.
22:15I'd like to say it was fun up there, but mostly I was scared to death.
22:18Yeah.
22:19Kelby?
22:20Much obliged.
22:21Gentlemen?
22:22I'm keeping the chaps, by the way.
22:24I think they have a slimming feel.
22:29Coming up, the hair fairies have a humane way of dealing with lice.
22:33What do you do with them when you get them out?
22:34We starve them to death.
22:36It's a slow and painful kindness.
22:38We send them to a farm up in the country where they pursue lives of religious fulfillment.
22:44Sure, why not?
22:57I was just checking out the hair fairies here.
23:01A little canopy in San Francisco.
23:03I've walked past it a hundred times.
23:04Never really took the time to examine it.
23:07It's a fascinating study, both in word and picture.
23:10Hardly ever see hair and fairy grouped up together in terms of individual words.
23:15It has a nice little snap to it, though.
23:16And you can see the happy kids off to the right.
23:18And right over her shoulder, there's some sort of starburst thing.
23:22And inside that starburst is a creature.
23:25It could be a tick.
23:26It could be a flea.
23:27Probably a little piece of lice, though, now that I think about it.
23:30Do lice come in pieces?
23:32Probably not.
23:33But if that's a lice, and if those are kids who were infested with them,
23:37then I think the hair fairy would actually be that creature with the magic wand and the mosquito wings.
23:43Whatever, there's a lot going on.
23:45That much I'm certain of.
23:46Can't walk past a canopy with hair fairy on it and not go in to find out more.
23:54Hair fairies has been in business since 1999.
23:57Battling the growing problem of head lice.
24:00Look at that.
24:01That's terrible.
24:02Apparently, these little pests are growing more resistant to the most commonly used cures.
24:08And spreading like lice.
24:12Am I in the right place?
24:13Yes.
24:14Okay.
24:14You're Kyle.
24:15Yes, my name's Kyle.
24:16Mike.
24:17Hi, how are you?
24:17And this is Madeline.
24:18Hey, Madeline, I'm Mike.
24:20How are you?
24:20Hello.
24:21Hi.
24:21I'm Mike.
24:22Hi, Mike.
24:23Jenny.
24:23Hi.
24:24Hi.
24:25Evan.
24:26Evan.
24:26Hi, Evan.
24:27So, Mike, today we're dealing with head lice.
24:31The scientific name is pediculosis.
24:34Oh, pediculosis.
24:35Yes.
24:35I think they made a poem.
24:37It's supercalifragilistic.
24:38You've got pediculosis.
24:40Or maybe it was different.
24:42Kyle, hook me up with the scrubs, by the way.
24:45I mean, really?
24:46Really?
24:50And with your permission, we're just going to kind of be a fly on the wall.
24:53Some sort of unfortunate metaphor, but we're going to learn all weekend about head lice.
24:59And I don't mean to interrupt.
25:00I'm late.
25:01I'm sorry.
25:01And you are?
25:02Audrey.
25:03Audrey.
25:03Mike.
25:04How are you?
25:05You're here for some of this, too?
25:06Yes.
25:07Fantastic.
25:08Okay.
25:08All right, please.
25:09So, you were just saying something about head lice, right?
25:11So, what I'm trying to look for are these eggs.
25:15They're uniform in shape.
25:17They will always look like a teardrop.
25:19Now, the bugs, they tend to range in size from large adult to like a smaller baby bug.
25:26Uh-huh.
25:26Some are microscopic.
25:27So, those are the lice themselves and those are the eggs?
25:29Yes.
25:30Beneath them.
25:30Okay.
25:31Where did these come from, by the way?
25:32The first evidence was from the Egyptian mummies.
25:36No, I mean, these came from mummies?
25:38These?
25:38These are from L.A.
25:40So, they were...
25:41These are L.A. head lice?
25:42Yeah.
25:43These are L.A. head lice.
25:43We don't have enough in San Francisco.
25:45We've got to go down to Hollywood to get the head lice?
25:47Really?
25:47I mean, it's...
25:48All right.
25:49These head lice, by way of example, have come from Los Angeles.
25:52Yes.
25:53Madeline, her pediculosis comes from a school or around?
25:57Her sister.
25:58This one?
25:59Who contracted lice from preschool.
26:01How does it pass?
26:02A simple brush from one hair strand to the other, she could give it to someone else.
26:07So, you share a comb, you share a brush.
26:09Any head related items will do the trick, as far as head lice.
26:13They can only crawl.
26:14They do not jump.
26:15They do not fly.
26:16And head lice can only survive on your scalp.
26:18They don't survive on your body.
26:20What I do is I will check the front of the hairline first.
26:24The eggs will always be near the roots of her cuticle or at the ends.
26:29Right.
26:29And how often do they lay their eggs?
26:32One bug can lay up to 150 eggs.
26:34Their lifespan is 30 days.
26:37Head lice is becoming a greater issue.
26:40It's because those over-the-counter products, the bugs are building a resistance to that.
26:45What we focus on is the manually removal.
26:48You've got to get in there with your hands.
26:50Because in the end, no matter how sophisticated or efficacious the treatment might be, vis-a-vis topical solutions, there
26:56is no substitute for rolling up your sleeves and getting those little...
26:59You got it.
27:00So, we want to get it out before the bugs start laying eggs.
27:02Yes, we do.
27:03Basically, you want to check around the hairline, behind the ears, the crown area, and the back of her nape.
27:10So, we're so good.
27:12So, she might be clear.
27:14With these dry checks, we cannot confirm that she's clear until we follow through with the wet check.
27:19So, let's do the wet check and see what comes up.
27:23To give Madeline a wet check, we'll first have to spray her hair down with water.
27:28To get the hair as wet as possible.
27:30As wet as possible.
27:31I'll just take the top off this thing and dump it right on.
27:33Now, that's too wet.
27:34Then, we apply a special cleanse cream.
27:37Tell me about the cleanse cream.
27:38This cleanse cream, all of our products here are all natural and organic.
27:43So, they do not kill the bugs.
27:45It helps to disrupt their environment.
27:47We want to kill them though, don't we?
27:49We want to remove them.
27:52What do you do with them when you get them out?
27:54We starve them to death.
27:55That's a lot like killing them.
27:57Yeah.
27:58I mean, if you think about it.
27:59The natural way.
27:59The natural way.
28:00Oh, okay.
28:01We send them to a farm up in the country.
28:04Sure, why not?
28:04It's got a happy ending now.
28:06So, this cleanse cream loosens the glue on the egg.
28:08So, we just want to apply that.
28:11Let's have you spit more water here too.
28:13Did you say spit?
28:14Spritz.
28:15It's important.
28:16Once the cream is worked in, it's time to go after the eggs with a lice comb.
28:20The tip of this comb will always have contact with her scalp.
28:24And we're pulling the comb from the roots of her hair to the ends of her hair.
28:29And then you can wipe it on the towel.
28:32So, let's take a wipe here.
28:35Take a look at this.
28:36This is an egg.
28:38The egg will look oval.
28:40And at the tip, there's like a little tail at the end.
28:42It doesn't look like anything at all until you really get close.
28:45With head lice, one treatment will not do it justice.
28:49Right.
28:49So, this whole regimen takes about a week and a half to two weeks for you to be fully eradicated
28:54with head lice.
28:55So, this is a thing and, you know, you just have to deal with it.
28:58It happens.
28:59Lice happen.
29:00Yep.
29:01That's lice.
29:03That's the lice.
29:05So, would you?
29:06Here.
29:06Yes.
29:07Awesome.
29:08Same direction.
29:09Same way.
29:10Just make sure to...
29:12It's just like this.
29:13Do you see the difference?
29:15I do.
29:15You're good at it.
29:16I'm not.
29:16You're bending the comb right here like that.
29:19Yeah.
29:20So, let's wipe here and see.
29:24And here goes another one.
29:26There.
29:27There it is.
29:28Now, if you compare it to the first one...
29:30I see that the first one seemed to be a little larger than the second one.
29:34A decidedly oval geometric design.
29:38Yes.
29:38I can't say that they're translucent.
29:40Bone maple.
29:41Yeah.
29:42Acre.
29:42Yeah.
29:43There we go.
29:45So, what we do is we roll up the towel like a burrito.
29:48So, we get a clean surface.
29:50Mm-hmm.
29:50Like a tortilla, I think.
29:52Like a tortilla, yeah.
29:53Because if it were like a burrito, we'd have to put chicken in there and other things.
29:57Coming up, we hit the mother load right here.
30:00A pretty young lady...
30:01Let's see what we have here, shall we?
30:02...gets some not-so-pretty news.
30:04And you see how they're crawling around?
30:06Yeah.
30:06There's a lot.
30:07Peridiculous.
30:08Pediculosis.
30:09Pediculosis.
30:17Mike, would you like to get Audrey started?
30:19Audrey, are you okay with this?
30:21I'm fine with that.
30:22Yes.
30:23And this way we can...
30:24And you can check my work and I can check yours.
30:26Okay.
30:26We can cross-check.
30:27I got a lot of questions for Audrey.
30:29But before we begin on Audrey, we have to wash our hands thoroughly to prevent cross-contamination.
30:35I get the impression Audrey is out of grade school.
30:38Yes.
30:39So, Mike?
30:41Yes.
30:42We pretty much were transitioning to a new client.
30:45What's your story, Audrey?
30:46Well, this problem occurred about a few weeks ago and I have a severe case.
30:52How long have you had him?
30:53I'm not sure.
30:54Do you know how you got him?
30:55I have no idea.
30:57I really don't.
30:58So, one day, all of a sudden, just poof.
31:00Yeah, basically.
31:01What are you studying?
31:02Biology.
31:07Latin for what?
31:08The study of life?
31:09Yeah.
31:10Okay.
31:11So, just split the hair down and see what you will find.
31:15I'm already seeing eggs.
31:16Yeah, I see eggs.
31:18And how do they look like?
31:19Well, to me, I mean, if I didn't know what I was looking for, I might recommend a dandruff
31:23shampoo.
31:24You know, but this is not dandruff, is it?
31:27So, it takes seven to ten days for one egg to hatch.
31:30After that bug hatches, it's microscopic.
31:32It takes about two to three days for them to grow, become visible.
31:36So, when the bug hatches, it's smaller than the egg from which it came.
31:40Yes.
31:40We cannot see them.
31:42An insidious little parrot-beefus.
31:46Pediculosis.
31:47Pediculosis.
31:48What I'm doing right now is I'm pulling out the hair strand so I can show you the color
31:52of the egg.
31:53Yep.
31:54Once the egg hatches, the empty shell that remains on the hair is called a knit.
31:59Okay.
31:59So, we are able to say that, you know, she has knits in her hair.
32:04Mm-hmm.
32:04So, we can follow through with the treatment.
32:07Like before, we first sprayed Audrey's hair with water.
32:10Well, you know, they say your hairdresser knows all your secrets.
32:14Damn.
32:15Then, we applied and worked in a healthy dose of the cleansing cream.
32:18Mike, let's have you use the lice comb.
32:20This one, yes.
32:21And let's start with the first direction, front to back.
32:25I remember this well.
32:27The bugs would have to feed every like four to five to six hours a day.
32:31Mm-hmm.
32:31And the way they feed is biting our scalp, sucking our blood.
32:35Let's see what we have here, shall we?
32:36Okay.
32:36Let's take a look.
32:42So, what do you see?
32:43I see a bug.
32:45Uh-huh.
32:45I see one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
32:50And at least a dozen, you know, some eggs.
32:52Is that a full-grown one?
32:53That is, I would say, an adult.
32:56Some can get bigger.
32:57And you see how they're crawling right now?
32:59Yeah.
32:59It's crawling.
33:00There's a lot.
33:01In this case, it's a severe infestation.
33:04Paradiculous.
33:06Pediculosis.
33:07Pediculosis.
33:09Yeah, paradiculous is something else all together.
33:11What is it?
33:13A paradiculous?
33:13Yeah.
33:14Well, it's twice as many as a single diculous.
33:17We continued combing out Audrey's hair.
33:19We hit the mother load right here.
33:21And found more creeping, brawling, hair-clinging, blood-sucking,
33:26and just downright disgusting lice than we care to remember.
33:29I think we're learning a lot here, actually.
33:32But with so many highly contagious parasites scurrying around,
33:36it's important to remember one thing.
33:39So, make sure to keep your fingers away from your hair or your head.
33:45Do not scratch.
33:47Don't scratch.
33:48Don't scratch.
33:48Don't scratch.
33:49Now, suddenly everything itches.
33:50Uh-oh.
33:51Now, if you've seen the show before, you probably know where this is headed.
33:54And with the camera crew jockeying to get that killer close-up, it was only a matter of time.
34:00I'm going to take another comb, if that's okay with you, and then just touch my hair.
34:06Ooh.
34:06Oh.
34:08Oh.
34:08Did you touch your towel?
34:08You just touched it and touched your hair.
34:10Touched the towel and ran his hands through his hair.
34:13Can I have you wash?
34:15Yeah.
34:16Whatever, man.
34:16Sure.
34:18What do you mean, who?
34:20It's the towel.
34:21It's the towel.
34:22I mean, I know exactly where I touched.
34:24I mean, I can't just get it out now.
34:25I mean, I just went...
34:27It's just that if there was any microscopic bugs...
34:30They're all dead, right?
34:32They're still alive and in the towel.
34:34Well, should I throw this hat away?
34:35Um, we have a spray for that.
34:37Why don't you have a spray for my hair?
34:38Anything topical is not damning.
34:42As Barsky worked his way through the various stages of denial, anger, and finally acceptance,
34:47we continued Audrey's treatment.
34:49This time, with the able assistance of technician Connie.
34:54Which is, you know, because sometimes we get people that barely have it.
34:58And it's really boring.
35:00Clean head.
35:01You're welcome for the entertainment.
35:03You're very entertaining today.
35:05You do all this stuff right on your head and you have no idea.
35:09And by the time you notice, they're so entrenched that, you know, it's not...
35:14It's not easy to get rid of them.
35:16Right.
35:16They get inside your head.
35:17I, um...
35:18What do you mean?
35:19Well, not metaphorically.
35:20Metaphorically.
35:21Don't worry.
35:22They almost never tunnel into your brain.
35:26Metaphorically speaking.
35:28Evidence of ancient lice have been found in archeological sites around the world.
35:32The oldest known evidence to date is a louse egg that was found on a human hair at a site
35:37in Brazil.
35:38Based on radiocarbon dating, the nit appears to be around 10,000 years old.
35:51All right.
35:51What do you say we have a little quiz, Audrey?
35:53Me and you?
35:53Ooh.
35:56A series of questions.
35:58The rules are simple.
35:59I'll ask.
35:59You answer as accurately as you can.
36:02Okay.
36:02You get them right, we'll move on.
36:03You get a few wrong, you'll have to eat the head lice.
36:06There are no consequences to getting a wrong answer.
36:08Hair lice quiz one.
36:09How many eggs can hair lice lay in their lifetime?
36:13Audrey, is it A, a few thousand?
36:15B, 210?
36:17C, over 400?
36:20Um, I'd say over 400.
36:23Would you agree with that, Connie?
36:24I'd say B.
36:25You'd say B?
36:25Because we go with the average of 15 to 20, 25 a week.
36:29You can't argue with an expert.
36:31She's right.
36:34Hair lice can infect anything with hair.
36:38True or false?
36:38False.
36:39You're correct.
36:40They can only live on a human head of hair, and they can't survive anywhere else.
36:44If they fall out of the human hair, they die within 48 hours.
36:48Cats, dogs, and all other forms of animals are immune from these itchy little parasites.
36:52So?
36:54They get this big.
36:56It feels like that.
36:58It feels like it.
36:59Game show hosts can be so cruel.
37:03Head lice have wings and can fly from human host to human host.
37:07True or false?
37:08False.
37:09Not as false as well as I can.
37:11So, let's talk about the household.
37:13I'm right in the middle of a quiz, Kyle.
37:16This is hard-hitting.
37:17We're playing...
37:19Intervention, maybe?
37:19No, go ahead.
37:20Hop in.
37:20This is all about knowledge.
37:22Interjection?
37:22We would advise you, Jenny, to have her sleep on clean sheets and pillowcases.
37:27If you were to share a pillowcase with her, you chance service of getting that.
37:31Oh, yeah.
37:32What about Dave?
37:33He might have some of Audrey's lice in his hair, now laying eggs.
37:37Stay away from your wife.
37:38Far away.
37:39I can't do that.
37:40You have to.
37:41Seriously?
37:42I can't sleep with my wife in the same bed?
37:44If you're concerned and you don't want to worry, the other option is shaving your head.
37:51Yeah.
37:52That, too.
37:53Shaving your head is 100% because, again, they need the hair to travel on.
37:57Well, let's get some clippers and let's shave them up bald.
37:59So, can I do it?
38:01You know what?
38:02Can I do it?
38:03Have you ever shaved any more?
38:05You must do it.
38:06You really never know what's going to come of a quiz.
38:09One minute, you ask a short or false question.
38:11The next minute, Dave's getting his head shaved.
38:13But before we can shave Barsky's head, we need to finish up with Madeline.
38:17Beautiful hair with virtually no eggs in it.
38:20So, what I like to do or give my clients is a pop quiz.
38:25So, Madeline.
38:26We just had a pop quiz.
38:27You gave it to Audrey, but not Madeline.
38:30Oh, all right.
38:31Go ahead.
38:31Yeah, you just want to be the game show host, don't you?
38:33Good.
38:33You give it to Audrey's wife.
38:34I'll be the audience.
38:35You be the contestant.
38:36Madeline, he'll be the host.
38:37It's really easy, Madeline.
38:39Can headlights jump or fly?
38:42No, false.
38:44Give her time to answer.
38:45Sorry.
38:46I was faster.
38:47Tough break, Madeline.
38:48You lose.
38:49So, what do you need to do to not get head lice?
38:52Pray.
38:54More than praying.
38:55More than praying.
38:56Eat and love.
38:57Eat and love.
38:58Sure.
38:59But what else?
39:01The sheets and the pillowcases and check my hair.
39:05Awesome.
39:06So, that's one form of not getting head lice because we want to pretty much make sure that
39:10there's no bugs on your sheets, on your pillowcases.
39:14What I want to get at is your hair.
39:16These ends are much more exposed when it's down like this.
39:20What are you doing?
39:22I was just checking every follicle.
39:25Mike is checking your hair dry.
39:27That's good.
39:27You want these ends to be up in a bun or a braid.
39:30Okay?
39:31Sure.
39:32But before we braid Madeline's hair, we'll first apply a bug-resistant shampoo that will
39:36stay in her hair.
39:37You only want to leave the shampoo in for five minutes, minimum.
39:40The shampoo can be left in for up to 24 hours.
39:43So, we need...
39:44Somewhere between five minutes and 24 hours.
39:46Yeah.
39:46Once the shampoo is worked in, it's time for the final step, braiding Madeline's hair.
39:52Want to give it a try?
39:53Sure.
39:53I got that.
39:54Tight as possible.
39:56Don't hurt.
39:57Don't hurt.
39:58You can't have it both ways.
39:59Want good looks or pain-free?
40:02Good job, Mike.
40:04What do you think?
40:06Shake your head like this, Madeline.
40:07Say, no, I won't clean my room.
40:09That's what I'm talking about.
40:10So, her first treatment is done.
40:12Yep.
40:13Thank you, Madeline.
40:14I learned a lot.
40:15Couldn't have done it without you.
40:16With Madeline's lice now on the run, there's really only one thing left to do.
40:22Alright, so here we are.
40:23You saw what happened earlier in the piece.
40:25Dave put his hand on a towel that had some of the head lice on it that moments earlier
40:31had been in Audrey's hair.
40:33And then Dave, in a brilliant move, ran his hand through his own hair.
40:37Then we discussed what might happen if he went home infested with lice, talked about
40:41the fallout he'd be dealing with from his lovely wife, Val, determined it would be best
40:45to shave him bald.
40:47Audrey has volunteered to do that, and it's the least we can do to express our thanks
40:52to her for sharing so much of herself with us and you.
40:55So, without any further ado, Audrey, you can go ahead and fire that up.
40:58Do you have any experience of this kind of thing?
41:00None at all.
41:01Excellent.
41:02Shave him up, would you please?
41:04Oh, good.
41:05Dave, I wouldn't make any sudden moves.
41:07Oh, yeah.
41:08Oh, dear.
41:09Don't move, please.
41:10Oh, sorry.
41:11I can't believe you haven't done this before.
41:13You've got a real knack.
41:16It's all going to have to go.
41:18It's getting very cold up there.
41:20You really do have a handsome head, though, Dave, I have to say.
41:23Very round.
41:24Oh, that was my ear.
41:25Oh, sorry.
41:26Nobody likes a whiner.
41:28You've never been totally shaved, have you?
41:31I mean, on the head.
41:32You really want to go total cue ball?
41:34I've got to get rid of the lice, right?
41:37Aubrey's all over this.
41:40Oh, it's good.
41:41It's not bad.
41:42Now, so you want to go with the Barbasol?
41:45Just do it.
41:46I don't care.
41:46Kyle?
41:47Oh, boy.
41:49This is stupid.
41:50You're going to love it.
41:51It's pretty good, except there's a bald guy in the middle of the shot.
41:55Let me know if this is okay.
41:58Is that okay?
41:59Well, no, I just don't like the lack of confidence in your voice.
42:02It's looking good so far.
42:03I look like Brando in Apocalypse Now.
42:05The horror.
42:07The horror.
42:08That's what my voice is going to say.
42:10No, sir.
42:10I'm going with the green.
42:12What green do I have in my head?
42:14If you went against the green, you'd feel it more if you're pulling.
42:17Yeah.
42:18How much more hair do I have, anyway?
42:19Not that much, dude.
42:20Yeah.
42:21I've got to be honest with you.
42:22Is that okay?
42:23It looks good.
42:24Okay, Dave.
42:25Kyle, you are something else.
42:27Anything else?
42:27You are something else.
42:29You bring a passion to your work and an authenticity that I think most people would aspire to,
42:33regardless of their chosen vocation.
42:35Dave, you are deloused.
42:37Your wife can snuggle with you with really nothing to worry about other than the usual stuff.
42:43All right, nothing left now to do except leave you with this cautionary sight
42:47and invite you again, as I have done in the past, discovery.com forward slash dirtyjobs
42:52if you have something equally absurd that you'd like to see happen on the air.
42:56Drop us a line.
42:56Dave, you got anything to add?
42:58Good.
43:00Goodbye and good luck.
43:02That's how Dave keeps his skin so milky smooth.
43:05Beautiful all the time.
43:07He has a cold cream ritual in the evening.
43:09Something to see.
43:10Good morning, Dad.
43:11Good morning.
43:12Did you bring coffee?
43:14Mmm.
43:16No.
43:16No?
43:18Not even a little carry or a little something for them?
43:23People in the same dirty jobs have gone soft.
43:25You know, somehow we've lost our edge.
43:28I don't see it personally.
43:30I don't speak in control I saw that record all the time of Congress on March.
43:30Yeah.mma.
43:31Nope.
43:32Good night.
43:32again... Mr. Daddy,
43:33chef.
43:33night. Hi.
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