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Contacts with Power Lines and Poles Can Pose a Serious Risk to Public
Safety
In 2009, farm equipment contacted ATCO Electric power lines and poles
60 times. Of those 60 contacts, 28 of them were made directly with
overhead power lines. Any one of those contacts had the potential to be
a fatal incident.
ATCO Electric has embarked on a public safety education campaign to
bring attention to this critical issue.
Stay Safe Around Power Lines and Poles
Tall Farm Equipment Moves – Plan Ahead and Call ATCO Electric
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Two business days before moving tall
farm equipment around power lines, call
1-800-668-2248 and ask for your local ATCO Electric
office. This includes moving equipment between fields,
to grain bins, on roads or other areas.
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ATCO Electric will determine the best
route to move your equipment and will temporarily raise
power lines if necessary.
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Contact with a power line can lead to
serious injury or death. It can also lead to damage or
loss of equipment and power outages.
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Never try to measure line heights or
raise power lines yourself. ATCO Electric will determine
line heights on the route you are travelling or on your
farm.
ATCO Electric Safety Incentive
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Farmers in ATCO Electric’s service
area moving agricultural equipment or facilities may be
eligible to receive up to four hours of free ATCO
Electric labour per move.
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Call 1-800-668-2248 and ask for your
local ATCO Electric office for more information.
Know Your Clearances
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Always ask yourself
“Where’s the Line?”
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If you do not know the voltage of a
power line, you must have seven metres of clearance
between your equipment and the overhead power line.
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If you must work closer than seven
metres to the line, you must call ATCO Electric first.
Avoid Danger Zones
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Always be on the lookout for fallen or
sagging wires, especially after storms.
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Stay away from downed power lines.
Never touch an energized wire with your hand or any
other object. If you notice a damaged facility, notify
ATCO Electric immediately and keep everyone away from
the area.
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Never stack hay or pile grain near
power lines.
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Use care when cultivating around power
poles and guy wires.
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Watch for broken or dislodged guy
wires. Report broken or damaged guy wires to ATCO
Electric immediately.
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Never spray water hoses at power
lines.
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Rubber gloves WILL NOT protect you
from the voltages carried by overhead power lines.
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Wood CAN conduct electricity.
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Avoid going outdoors during a
lightning storm.
Stay Clear From a Downed Power Line
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Stay at
least 10 metres from a downed power line or other
damaged electrical facility.
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The
voltage on the ground is highest in the immediate area
around the electrical source and decreases with
distance.
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Walking over an
area with a downed power line can cause an electrical
shock which may be fatal. If you feel a tingling
sensation, stop immediately, place your feet together
and shuffle or hop at least 10 metres away without
touching anything with your hands.
If you make contact with a
downed power line:
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If the machinery you are operating
contacts an energized line, move it away from the line
to break contact. Slowly drive at least 10 metres clear
of the downed power line and call ATCO Electric at
1-800-668-5506 immediately to report the downed line.
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If you cannot move the machine away from the downed
line, remain on the machine and call ATCO Electric at
1-800-668-5506 right away. Stay inside the vehicle until
ATCO Electric arrives.
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If there is an uncontrollable fire,
jump off the machine keeping your feet together and
without touching the vehicle or equipment and ground at
the same time.
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Once clear of the machine, shuffle
away, never allowing the heel of one foot to move beyond
the toe of the other, or, hop with both feet together to
a minimum distance of 10 metres or 33 feet.
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If you must leave the vehicle or
equipment due to immediate danger (such as a fire), jump
out with your feet together and without touching the
vehicle or equipment and ground at the same time.
Shuffle or hop away to a safe distance - at least 10
metres away.
Call Before You Dig
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Two days before digging or driving
posts into the ground, call
Alberta One-Call at 1-800-242-3447 to locate and mark
all underground utilities. The service is free.
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Only dig or drill holes within one
metre of either side of the locate marking if absolutely
necessary.
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If you must dig within one metre of
the locate marking, carefully hand expose the utilities
with a shovel.
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Underground utilities may be closer to
the surface of the ground than you think – sometimes
just a few inches below ground surface.
If you make contact with an electrical cable:
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If an electrical cable is accidentally
dug up, call ATCO Electric immediately at
1-800-668-5506. Move the digger bucket clear of the
cable and stay out of the trench.
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If the machine can’t be moved, keep
workers 10 metres or 33 feet away and have the operator
remain on the vehicle.
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In the case of fire, follow the
“Shuffle or Hop, Don’t Step” rule.
If you contact another kind of underground utility:
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If you make contact with any other
underground utility, shut-off or extinguish any source
of ignition including equipment and vehicles,
communication equipment including cell phones,
cigarettes and/or open flames.
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Clear all people from the vicinity of
the damaged line or cable.
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Contact 911 for help using a
neighbour’s phone. Do not use your cell-phone.
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Remain a safe distance away from the
damaged line while you wait for assistance – stay
visible and direct emergency crews to the scene.
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Do not attempt to repair damaged cable
or line.
For more information on electrical safety and related
topics, contact the ATCO Electric Customer Assistance Centre at
1-800-668-2248.
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