February 2023 Work Safely Around Overhead Power Lines Roofing, installing rain gutters, painting exteriors, hanging holiday lights and other overhead activities can bring you dangerously close to energized lines. Follow these tips to protect yourself and your crew from potentially deadly electrical contact. Order our FREE worker safety training kit on the Duke Energy Worker Beware website. ORDER KIT  Look Up and Look Out Carefully examine your work site for overhead power lines, poles and guy wires before starting every job, and point them out to crew members. Make it a habit to check for power lines before raising ladders, tools or materials, and when erecting, moving or dismantling scaffolds. Follow the 10-Foot Rule • Keep yourself, all tools, equipment and vehicles at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines carrying up to 50 kV. Greater voltages require greater distances.   ◦ Before work begins, call Duke Energy at the number below for your state to verify voltages and consult osha.gov to determine the minimum required safety clearance distances.   ◦ If you must work closer to power lines than the mandated distance, call Duke Energy in your state well in advance to make safety arrangements at:   ◦ Duke Energy Indiana: 800.521.2232   ◦ Duke Energy Carolinas: 800.777.9898   ◦ Duke Energy Progress: 800.452.2777   ◦ Duke Energy Florida: 800.700.8744   ◦ Duke Energy Kentucky/Ohio: 800.544.6900 • Carry all ladders, long-handled tools, gutters, siding and downspouts level with the ground. • Keep in mind that tools, equipment and materials can shift due to wind or unexpected events. Always maintain the minimum required clearance plus a buffer zone. In Case of Power Line Contact If your equipment should contact an overhead power line or cause an overhead power line to fall, assume the power line is energized and take the following steps: • STOP work immediately. • Do NOT touch or move the line. Keep the public far away. • Call 911 and Duke Energy in your state immediately at the emergency numbers listed below.   ◦ Duke Energy Indiana: 800.343.3525   ◦ Duke Energy Carolinas: 800.769.3766   ◦ Duke Energy Progress: 800.419.6356   ◦ Duke Energy Florida: 800.228.8485   ◦ Duke Energy Kentucky/Ohio: 800.543.5599 • If the line should fall onto a truck or other equipment, don’t panic. Warn everyone, including other workers, to stay far away from the vehicle as well as the power line. Anyone inside or on the vehicle should stay where they are until instructed otherwise by Duke Energy or emergency officials. • Always remember to stay at least 30 feet away from a fallen distribution line and at least 100 feet away from a fallen transmission line. Would You Like to Know More? Additional utility safety tips, case studies, instructional videos and training tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on Duke Energy's Worker Beware website. For more contractor safety information, visit duke-energy.com/PublicSafety/Contractors. For electrical emergencies, call 911 and Duke Energy Indiana: 800.343.3525 Duke Energy Carolinas: 800.769.3766 Duke Energy Progress: 800.419.6356 Duke Energy Florida: 800.228.8485 Duke Energy Kentucky/Ohio: 800.543.5599 © 2023 Culver Media, LLC #13849