Safety first when farming around power linesSafety first when farming around power lines

by Grant Otten

Farmers are getting back in the field for spring planting season, and the Nebraska Public Power District is asking equipment operators to look up and look out for power lines.

Power lines located along fields can pose a potential safety hazard for equipment operators who are not aware of their surroundings. If a large piece of equipment gets too close to a power line, it can cause electricity to arc to the equipment, resulting in a potentially serious or fatal injury.

Farmers are hard at work with another growing season, and they are encouraged to keep safety around power lines top of mind. It’s important that everybody can do their job and come home safely at the end of the day, says Scott Walz, NPPD transmission and distribution construction and maintenance manager.

If a vehicle or piece of equipment is in contact with a power line, call 911 or your local power provider, and remain inside the vehicle until help can arrive and deenergize the power line. When a power line is touching a vehicle, it can electrify both the vehicle and the ground in the surrounding area.

If a fire forces you to exit the vehicle, then do so by jumping away from the vehicle, landing on two feet, and shuffling as far away from the area as possible. NPPD encourages farmers to review safety precautions before entering the fields to begin fieldwork operations. Find more information on farm safety at NPPD.com.

Here are some tips from NPPD:

Otten is the media relations specialist for NPPD.

Source: NPPD