Most jobs do not require you to climb 40 feet in the air and conduct business within a few feet of high voltage power lines that carry 7,200 volts of electricity. However, for many utility workers, this is just another day at the office.
Across the Nation, there are millions of utility poles that provide the electricity that powers everything in your daily life — including the brewing of your morning cup of coffee and the lighting you turn off before going to bed. The electricity we depend on would not be possible without the utility workers who maintain and repair these utility poles.
Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power and The Safe Electricity program urges everyone to keep utility poles free from all personal materials such as balloons, fliers, and metal objects like staples or tacks. By respecting utility poles, you can help keep your community powered, and utility workers safe.
Utility workers use specialized climbing devices to perform regular maintenance and repair damaged power lines at the top of utility poles. Nails, tacks, and other metal objects that are used to attach objects to utility poles can interfere with the safe operation of the climbing boots used by utility workers.
Foreign objects that are embedded in utility poles can also snag or damage the protective clothing that keeps line workers safe from electrical shock. These men and women already work in extremely hazardous conditions, so everyone who relies on electricity should take steps to make their job as safe as possible.
For more information on staying safe around power lines, utility poles, and electricity, visit celp.com and SafeElectricity.org.