Electric Outdoor Safety

Look up and look out!

Play it safe in the summer. Power lines are not insulated. If you touch a power line, you will be severely injured or killed. Always assume a power line is energized and dangerous. Stay away from power lines and teach children to stay away from them, too.

Summer Safety Tips

• Do not climb trees near overhead power lines
• Never trim or climb a tree that has power lines running through it. If a tree branch breaks and lands on an electric line, don’t touch the branch or wire
• Fly kites and model airplanes away from radio antennas, electric lines and substations. If they become tangled in power lines, they could cause an injury, fire or power outage

Kite Flying Safety Tips

• Keep away from all overhead wires, especially electric lines
• When buying or making a kite, make sure it is constructed of wood, plastic or paper. Never use anything metallic such as aluminum foil or Mylar polyester film; they conduct electricity
• Use dry kite string when flying your kite and never use wire
• Fly your kite in open areas in dry weather. Avoid streets and highways and keep away from television and radio antennas

Look for and avoid power lines when you:

• Move a ladder
• Clean gutters
• Work on top of a building
• Install an antenna or satellite dish
• Trim trees, clean your pool, paint or move a sailboat

Keep ladders, poles, pipes and other equipment at least 20 feet from power lines

• Make sure a ladder or antenna won’t touch a power line if it falls