Safety Information

• Never touch a downed power line or anything that the power line touches. Although it may look harmless and innocent, the line could still be energized and deadly.
• Never try to move downed power lines. Objects such as brooms, boards, limbs or other non-metallic materials can still conduct electricity. Leave these situations for the professionals.
• Never drive over downed power lines. If a power line touches your car as a result of an accident, do not get out. If it is necessary to leave, jump out without touching the car and the ground at the same time. Then shuffle away rather than taking large steps to minimize the chance of electricity flowing through the ground and then through your body. Fight the urge to run, and warn others not to run. This is because when a live wire touches the ground, electricity travels through the ground in all directions. Voltage decreases as it travels from the center where the live wire is touching the ground. If you run or take large steps, you could conduct electricity from one leg at one voltage to another leg at another voltage. This can shock or kill you.

• Overhead power lines are usually bare and not insulated. When using or carrying long objects such as ladders, pruning tools, swimming pool poles, antennas, pipes, etc., always be aware of overhead power lines and do not allow objects to touch them.
• Always check for overhead power lines before putting up a ladder or antennae.
• Never climb trees near overhead power lines. If you see a power line in a tree, call your electric utility and they will take care of the problem.
• Kites or model airplanes should never be flown near overhead power lines. Do not attempt to retrieve objects that get caught in power lines and always use non-metallic string or cord to fly kites.
• Never climb utility structures such as poles or enter substations.
  

In areas with underground power lines there is often padmounted equipment (green boxes) located along rights-of-way. Although this equipment is normally safe unless damaged, do not allow children to play on or around these objects. Stay away from damaged or open equipment and notify Lane Electric Cooperative immediately.

Most homeowners like to have a screen of shrubs to block the view of padmount equipment in their yard. But, Lane Electric’s personnel need to have direct access to the equipment in the event of a power outage or to perform maintenance. As a result, special care must be taken to keep your plants a safe distance from this equipment. Please allow 10 feet of space on the sides with doors and 3 feet of space on the other sides. If you have any questions, call or stop by your local customer service office.

It is required that heavy equipment be operated no closer than 10 feet from overhead power lines for voltages up to 50 kV and 10 feet and 4 inches for every 1 kV over 50 kV. Any operation of heavy equipment that may be operated closer than 10 feet to a power line, Lane Electric should be contacted for marking of lines or isolation of lines as necessary. If heavy equipment contacts a line, the operator should avoid leaving the equipment as long as contact remains. If someone must leave heavy equipment while it is contacting power lines he should jump clear and not touch the equipment and the ground at the same time. Then shuffle away rather than taking large steps to minimize the chance of electricity flowing through the ground and then through his body. If a dump truck bed comes into contact with the lines and contact is made, simply back up or lower the bed to break the contact.