A Brinkley stick is a safety device used to discharge high voltage capacitors and ensure HT (high voltage) electrical circuits are discharged. The tool consists of a hook attached to the end of an insulated rod. The hook is connected by a length of insulated wire to a suitable ground or earth, often via a suitably valued resistor. Named after Charles Brinkley, an amputee ferry boatman who carried radar staff across the river Deben. [1]
One of the Trade test colour films, On the Safe Side[2]includes a fictionalised sequence during which the life of a technician is preserved by his decision to deploy a Brinkley stick.
"What did you do in the "Cold War" Dad?", Part 2 - Master Radar Station
Better be sure before I touch anything.