How to Maintain Construction Site Safety When Working near Power Lines
Construction and road building projects often put crews in close proximity to power lines and electrical hazards. These hazards can lead to potentially fatal electrocution if the proper steps and precautions aren’t taken by everyone on the jobsite. To help avoid accidents and to protect your crew, we’ve put together some key construction safety tips for working near power lines.
Start with a risk assessment prior to beginning work
Whenever your team is working near power lines, it’s important to conduct a complete risk assessment of the worksite. It should determine and highlight all potential hazards, identify voltage levels of nearby lines, and include a plan for all construction activities. When performing a risk assessment, we recommend using experienced personnel and consulting utility companies in order to ensure the correct safety measures are implemented.
Keep a safe distance
One of the most crucial construction site safety tips for working near power lines is maintaining enough distance between your crew and the electrical hazards. That distance will depend on the voltage and local regulations, but we recommend keeping at least 10 feet of clearance between your people and equipment and the power lines.
Train your team
Your entire crew has to be adequately trained for working near power lines and should be able to recognize electrical risks and implement proper safety measures, tools, and equipment to mitigate those risks. The training should also emphasize how important it is to always be vigilant and aware on the jobsite.
Implement barricades and warning signs
In order to ensure construction site safety, it’s important that you clearly identify, mark, and, if necessary, barricade all electrical hazards on the worksite. Your warning signs should be highly visible and positioned at sufficient distances from the power lines, so it’s easy for people on the jobsite to stay away from them.
Use electrical insulation
One of the most important construction site safety tips for working near power lines is using tools, gloves, and equipment that resist the flow of electricity. Electrical insulation can help prevent or reduce the effect of electrocution in situations of accidental contact. We suggest regularly checking your insulated tools, equipment, and gear to ensure they stay effective and to improve construction site safety.
Set up spotters and use clear communication
Always establish communication protocols that your entire crew is aware of when working near power lines. We recommend using two way radios or hand signals in noisy areas, so everyone can stay in contact with one another. Spotters should guide machine operators and other workers, helping them avoid any electrical hazards and maintain construction site safety.
Check the weather conditions
Watch out for changing weather throughout the day. Storms and high winds can make working near power lines difficult and dangerous. It’s important to implement a process for stopping work and seeking shelter when severe weather occurs.
Regularly inspect power lines and equipment
Routinely inspecting power lines and other electrical hazards to determine their level of danger is another of the most crucial construction safety tips. Notify the relevant authorities or utility companies immediately if you notice any power line problems during your construction project.
