When applying protective grounds, what should always be the first connection?

The first connection when applying protective grounds should be the ground end. This practice is essential for ensuring the safety of personnel and equipment. By connecting the ground end first, it creates a low-resistance pathway to the earth, allowing any fault current to be safely dissipated. This minimizes the risk of electric shock or injury to workers in the vicinity of the energized lines or equipment.

If workers were to connect other elements first, such as the vehicle body or the energized line, there would be potential dangers associated with accidental contact with live electrical sources before establishing a safe grounding path. Always connecting the ground end first mitigates these risks, ensuring that the grounding system is effective from the very start of the procedure.