Powerful Tips for Power Line Safety

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) reports that 166 workers were killed by electrocution in 2019. In June 2000, an installer working on a non-Lamar Advertising billboard lost his left arm and lower leg when a metal pole he was handling accidentally came into contact with a powerline. Another installer says he’s lucky to be alive and still have the use of his hands after he also touched a 12,000-volt power line with a metal pole. There are too many stories like these and you may not be so lucky to survive. So, knowing the risks and how to avoid them is crucial to your well-being and possibly survival.

Power Line Risk and Billboard Work
Power lines don’t have insulation. If you touch one, electricity will flow out of a power line and through your body. High voltages create a significant electric field which means that electricity can arc out of the wire and run down any crane or pole that is nearby, even without contact. This could put those you are working with risk.

Power Line Contact What happens if your body or an object you are holding comes into contact with a powerline?
If you touch a power line your body becomes a path for electricity and you could be seriously injured or killed. When electricity enters the body, it has to find a place to leave the body which could result in a loss of a limb. But, in some cases, it will result in death. Additionally, if you are working at height and not wearing proper fall protection gear, you could fall and be injured.

Commonsense Rules for Avoiding Electrocution
Below are a few commonsense rules to follow when installing a billboard.

• Be aware of your surroundings. Locate all power lines, particularly when using long tools and ladders.
• Obey the 10-foot rule. Do not work or use the equipment within 10 feet of overhead lines. Electricity can arc to nearby objects and people.
• Assume all power lines are energized. Do not use metal ladders near them; instead, use appropriate American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved ladders for work near energized power lines. With respect to electricity, one wrong move could be your last.
• On existing older structures there are many billboards that do not meet today’s minimum setback requirements. If that’s the case, be very careful and take your time.
• Train yourself and your workers. Everyone should be versed in emergency communication and proper techniques for providing aid to someone after an electrical accident.
• Use Safety Watcher or Spotters. Their only duties should be observing the work and communicating with the operator to ensure the equipment never gets closer than 10 feet to a power line.

The right PPE can help protect you from billboard installation hazards. Contact your Martin Sales Rep or call 800.828.8116.