As spring planting begins, Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative urges farmers to be safe.
Overhead power lines are necessary to deliver electricity to hardworking farmers and ranchers, but those same power lines can also be deadly if not treated with respect. While focusing on the field and your machinery, also watch for power poles, lines and other electrical equipment.
Size of equipment
- If you have purchased new equipment, be aware of antennas or other attachments that may pose new hazards. Newer, larger equipment may no longer clear a power line. In addition, shifting soil may also affect whether or not machinery avoids power lines from year to year.
- Power lines may sag over the years. If power lines on your property are sagging, contact your electric cooperative to repair the lines. Never try to move a power line on your own.
Be aware
- Observe your surroundings. Always check above and around before moving or raising equipment.
- Plan your route. If there’s any doubt equipment will clear a power line, opt for an alternative route.
- Keep a distance. Always keep equipment at least 10 feet away from power lines and poles. Sprayers can often reach as high as 12 feet in the air.
- Keep it lowered. Always lower equipment extensions, portable augers or elevators to their lowest possible level before moving or transporting them. Folding and unfolding should be done well into the field, not at the field’s edge, which could have power lines running next to it. Don’t raise augers near a power line.
- Take over steering. Don’t rely on auto-steer around power lines and poles.
Use a spotter
- Avoid moving large equipment alone. Have someone watch as you move equipment to ensure you are clear of power lines.
Educate the crew
- Make sure you, your family and employees know the location of overhead power lines, and use routes to avoid the lines when moving equipment. Do this every year, as equipment sizes and soil conditions may change.
Look around, too
- Overhead power lines are not the only electric hazard on the farm. Pole guy wires, used to stabilize utility poles, are grounded. However, when one of the guy wires is broken, it can become charged with electricity. If you break a guy wire, call the cooperative to fix it. Don’t do it yourself.