What is the only real protection available for people working around a vehicle when a boom makes contact with a live conductor?

The correct answer is that the only real protection available for people working around a vehicle when a boom makes contact with a live conductor is to stay on the vehicle or stay away from the vehicle. This safety measure is grounded in the principles of electrical safety. When a boom contacts live electrical lines, the vehicle becomes energized. By staying on the vehicle, a person is effectively minimizing the risk of creating a path for electrical current to flow through their body, as they would be on the same electrical potential as the vehicle—unless they make contact with the ground.

For those outside the vehicle, moving away is crucial because any contact with the ground can result in a dangerous voltage potential difference if the vehicle is energized. Staying clear of the energized vehicle removes the risk of electrocution from electrical current traveling through the body.

Wearing rubber gloves and using insulated tools are valuable safety practices for electrical work but do not specifically provide protection in this scenario where the vehicle itself is energized. Moving quickly away from the vehicle may also expose a worker to risk if they come into contact with a different electric potential while fleeing. Therefore, residing on the vehicle or ensuring one’s distance is deemed the safest approach in this particular situation.