Toolbox Talk: Overhead Power Lines

Before you start

Look up before the talk and point out any overhead lines on or near the site.

Read this to your crew

Overhead power lines are not insulated for contact. A ladder, a dump truck bed or a crane boom that gets too close can carry enough current to kill the person touching it.

Today we will talk about keeping a safe distance and what to do if something touches a line.

Key points

Look up first. Before raising a ladder, boom, dump bed or lift, check for overhead lines.
Treat every line as live. Assume all overhead lines are energized unless the utility has confirmed otherwise.
Keep your distance. Unqualified workers and their tools must stay at least 10 feet from lines up to 50 kV, and farther for higher voltages. Cranes generally need at least 20 feet.
Use a spotter. When equipment works near lines, assign someone whose only job is to watch the clearance.
If you make contact, stay put. Stay in the cab and warn others to keep away. If fire forces you out, jump clear without touching the machine and the ground at the same time, and shuffle away with your feet together.

Ask the crew

Where are the overhead lines on this job?
Which of our tasks bring equipment or ladders close to lines?
Who do we call to have lines de-energized or covered?

Picture this

Two workers carry a 24-foot aluminum ladder upright across a yard to move it to the next building. The top touches a line running to a pole. Both are badly shocked. Carrying the ladder flat and looking up would have prevented it.

Print this page to use the sign-in sheet, or skip the paper and record attendance digitally in SafetyIQ.

Name

Company / crew

Signature

Talk leader: ______________ Date: ______________ Site: ______________