Roadway Safety: Electrical hazards
Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America
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Roadway Safety
The following are links to all of the items in this collection:
Documents
- Roadway Safety: Run Overs & Back Overs
- Roadway Safety: Operator Safety
- Roadway Safety: Struck or Crushed
- Roadway Safety: Flagger Safety
- Roadway Safety: Night Work
- Roadway Safety: Excavation
- Roadway Safety: Electrical hazards
- Roadway Safety: Strains and Sprains
- Roadway Safety: Fall Hazards
- Roadway Safety Awareness Program: Trainee Booklet
- Roadway Safety: Instructor Manual
- Roadway Safety: Working outdoors
- Roadway Safety: Noise Hazards
- Roadway Safety: Health Hazards
- Roadway Safety: Emergencies
Summary Statement
A handout describing dangers of electricity in the roadway workzone, including discussion of power hazards both above and below ground, and how to handle the situation if a worker comes in contact. Part of a collection. Click on the 'collection' button to access the other items.
| This document is one in a program produced under an OSHA grant by a consortium of the Laborers' Health and Safety Fund N.A, the International Union of Operating Engineers, the American Road and Transportation Builders Assn, and the National Asphalt Pavement Assn. All of the documents from this set that are on eLCOSH can be found by clicking on Job Site, Heavy construction, and scrolling to the Street & highway heading. Or to download a complete version of the computerized program, go to https://www.workzonesafety.org/. |
Contact can cause explosion, fire, electrocution.
On the worksite
- Equipment contacting a live electrical line can cause fire, explosion, or electrocution
- Electricity can arc from the line to the equipment
- Electricity can cause severe burns and death
- When you are trained in all aspects of the job
- When you have a reason to be there
How Do We Treat Above-Ground Utilities?
Use extreme caution and keep your distance.
When working around a power line - Get the utility company to mark, flag, and shield lines
- Assume it is live until tested, have it de-energized and visibly grounded
- If it must remain energized, keep equipment and load at least 10 feet away and use a spotter to warn the operator
- Post signs at ground level to mark safe distance
- Make all workers and drivers who must enter the area aware of the overhead lines
- Mark a safe route for repeated travel
- Slow down
Minimum Safe Distances Power Lines |
|
| Voltage | Distance |
| 50 kV or below | 10 |
| >50-200 kV | 15 |
| >200 - 350 kV | 20 |
| >350 - 500 kV | 25 |
| >500 - 750 kV | 35 |
| >750 - 1,000 kV | 45 |
More in fog or rain |
|
What If Contact Happens?
Do not touch equipment or person in contact.
If you are on the ground
- Stay away from the vehicle!
- Do not touch any equipment or person in contact with the line
- Get the lines de-energized
- Stay in the vehicle and do not touch any metal
- If you must get out, jump clear, then shuffle slowly away
Can We Be Safe Around Buried Utilities?
Contact can cause explosion, fire, electrocution.
Before digging
- Call electrical, gas, and communications utilities
- Review marked out areas. They may not be exact. Dig by hand within 2 feet of mark-out.
Signs of previous digging: changes in soil types, asphalt patches or depressions, concrete, plastic, or gravel
If a line is hit, you must report it
If it's a gas line, evacuate and secure area, call fire department
