Farming is one of the most dangerous jobs in the U.S... especially when it's rushed. Each year, PPEC sees farmers rushing to get the job done and in turn, tangling with power lines and causing injury or outages.

PPEC urges farm workers to be aware of overhead power lines and to keep equipment and extensions far away from them.

Please keep these safety tips in mind when working:

• Start each morning by planning your day’s work. Know what jobs will happen near power lines and have a plan to keep the assigned workers safe.

• Keep yourself and equipment at least 10 feet away from power lines in all directions, at all times. Use a spotter when moving tall equipment and loads.

• Use care when raising augers or the bed of a grain truck. It can be difficult to estimate distance, and sometimes, a power line is closer than it looks. Use a spotter to make certain you stay far away from power lines.

• Always lower equipment extensions, portable augers, or elevators to their lowest possible level, under 14 feet, before moving or transporting them. Wind, uneven ground, shifting weight, or other conditions can cause you to lose control of equipment and make contact with power lines.

• Be aware of increased height when loading and transporting larger modern tractors with higher antennas.

• Never attempt to raise or move a power line to clear a path. If power lines near your property have sagged over time, call us at 800-686-2357 to repair them.

• Don’t use metal poles when breaking up bridged grain inside and around bins.

• As in any outdoor work, be careful not to raise any equipment, such as ladders, poles, or rods, into power lines. Remember, non-metallic materials, such as lumber, tree limbs, tires, ropes, and hay, will conduct electricity, depending on dampness and dust and dirt contamination.

• Use qualified electricians for work on drying equipment and other farm electrical systems.

• If you are on equipment that contacts a power line, do not exit the equipment as the ground could be energized. When you step off the vehicle, you become the electricity’s path to ground and receive a potentially fatal shock. Wait until utility workers have de-energized the line and confirmed it is safe for you to exit the vehicle. **If the vehicle is on fire and you must exit, jump clear of the vehicle with both feet together. Hop as far from the vehicle as you can with your feet together to prevent potentially deadly current flow through your body. 

For a step-by-step tutorial on how to exit a tractor or vehicle that’s made contact with power lines, visit our YouTube channel or watch below.

Thank you to all our local farmers out there for feeding our communities! Please stay safe this season.