# Presentation: 234500

## Electrical Hazards Awareness BriefingAwareness Working Near Overhead Electrical LinesModule 4

## Overhead Electrical Power Lines-The Silent Killer

- The leading cause of fatal electrical incidents while on the job is contact with power lines
**Power** **lines** kill an average of 133 workers per year
- Half of these workers are between ages of 25 and 35
- Leading causes
- Contact with heavy equipment (cranes, drilling rigs, backhoes, dump trucks, etc.)
- Contact with long handled tools and hand carried items (ladders, scaffolds, metal siding, metal poles, etc.)

## A 29 year old husband and father was fatally electrocuted when a crane at a construction site contacted an overhead power line. 

## Three people were killed at a concrete plant in Telford, PA when a crane struck a 7,200 volt electrical power line. 

- The crane operator was electrocuted immediately, and two co-workers were themselves electrocuted when they attempted to rescue the operator.

## Be Aware of Overhead Electrical Lines When

**Operating Dump Trucks**

- On September 21, 2005, at the Hanford Central Waste Complex, the raised bed of a dump truck operated by a **subcontractor** hit an energized 240-volt power line, producing an electrical arc as the line was severed. The driver exited the truck without waiting for verification that the line was de-energized, but was **not injured****.**

## A survival guide for those in television who raise the mast

- On Feb. 22, 1994, Lloyd Alfred "Al" Battle, on assignment for CNN in Alexandria, Va., was killed after he raised the mast of his ENG van into a 19,900 volt power line.

**A survival guide for those in television who raise the mast**

## Planning for Work Near Overhead Power Lines

- Walk down and survey the work site before beginning the work to identify all overhead power lines.  Consider equipment travel paths and movement. ***LOOK UP!***
**All overhead power lines shall be considered energized** until proven otherwise.
**Contact the owner of the lines** to determine the voltage of the lines and request the lines be de-energized and grounded. NEVER ACCEPT WORKING NEAR AN ENERGIZED LINE UNLESS ITS NOT _FEASIBLE _TO DE-ENERGIZE IT.

## Power Line Clearances

**Know** the power line clearance requirements (Refer to NFPA 70E for safe approach distances)
- For lines 50kV or less, the operator must keep all equipment parts and personnel at least 10 feet away
- For lines above 50kV, this distance increases by 4 inches for each kV over 50kV
- Determine your safe working clearance (the closest you can place equipment or personnel without crossing the buffer zone)

## Safe Practices for Working Near Energized Overhead Lines	

- Implement a two barrier control system to maintain effective standoff distances.  Examples include:
- Use trained dedicated spotters that maintain radio contact with operator.  Ensure spotters understand hand signals.  Use of radios is preferred for communications.
- Use physical barriers that prevent equipment from intrusion (insulation blankets, etc.)
- Use stakes, cones, and painted lines to remind operators of demarcation lines

## Two Barrier Control

- Other examples of controls include:
- Procure and use remote measurement techniques and equipment to determine actual clearance distances
- Use reflective materials to enhance visual identification of spotter by equipment operators
- Disable equipment functions to prevent rotation, elevation, extension or movement of components to prevent inadvertent contact

## Other Considerations

- Have a brief job site meeting to discuss the planned work as it relates to the power lines. Discuss topics such as the use of long-handled tools, and equipment (raised dump trucks, back hoes, etc.) that could come in contact with the lines. Consider the two barrier controls.
- Prohibit work when environmental conditions warrant (fog, precipitation, smoke, darkness, etc.)
- Only use nonconductive ladders and material handling equipment. Aluminum ladders and metal scaffolds or frames are efficient conductors of electricity.

## Other Considerations

- Consider grounding mobile equipment
- Avoid storing materials under or near overhead power lines.
- Always STAY ALERT when working near power lines.  Monitor actions of others and stop work if required to reduce risk of contact.

## Electrical Hazards for Crane and Heavy Equipment Operators

- The crane is the most common type of equipment which most often contacts overhead power lines.
- When contact happens, the rigger or ground worker is most often electrocuted (90% of time)

## Safe Practices Operating Cranes and Mobile Equipment

- Make it a HABIT to look up **before** you unload or load a crane from a truck or lowboy.  Make sure there are no overhead lines before you start.
- Operate equipment at a slower-than-normal rate in the vicinity of power lines.
- Exercise caution near long spans of overhead power lines, since wind can cause the power lines to sway laterally and reduce the clearance between the crane and the power line.
- Mark safe routes where equipment must repeatedly travel beneath power lines.
- Exercise caution when traveling over uneven ground that could cause the crane to weave or bob into power lines.
- Keep all personnel on ground well away from the crane whenever it is close to power lines.
- Prohibit persons from touching the crane or its load until a signal person indicates that it is safe to do so.

## Dump Truck Contacting Power Lines 

## Electrical Hazards for Dump Truck Operators

- Make it a HABIT to Look up **before** you raise a dump bed.  Make sure there are no overhead lines before you start.
- Always look up before you pull forward or move your truck with the dump bed extended upward.

## Electrical Hazards for Painters and Material Handlers

- Material Handling is such a common activity on a job site that most workers don’t give it a second thought.

## Safe Practices Handling Material and Ladders	

- When working around overhead electric lines or with electrical equipment, use non-conductive ladders and tools
- Never attempt to carry a ladder in a vertical position. Ladders should be lowered and turned horizontally when transported from one location to another.
- Extension ladders should be collapsed before lowering from a vertical position.
- Unload materials from trucks and flatbeds away from overhead lines

## If Your Equipment Makes Contact with Power Line

- Stay on the equipment and wait until the line is de-energized by the power company
- If you must leave the equipment, such as in a fire, jump clear and attempt to land with both feet together.
- Do not touch any part of the equipment when contacting the ground
- Shuffle away from equipment in small steps while keeping feet together

## Power Line Contact

**DO NOT** allow anyone on ground to come near or touch the machine. Warn personnel to stay away from the machine.
- Never touch a person who is in contact with a live power line.  Call for help and get power line de-energized.