Home > Safety > Safety Tips: At Home & Work

At Home & Work

Learn more about safety at your home, at your work or on the farm.

At Home

Indoors

Home Wiring

• Hire a qualified electrician to perform electrical work in your home.
• Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters where required as they sense electrical troubles and quickly turn off your electricity before you or your family can be injured.

Fuses

• If a fuse blows, turn off all appliances and lights on the circuit before changing the fuse.
• Only replace blown fuses with one with the correct rating, do not use a coin or a metal object.
• Label any disconnected circuits so that someone else does not accidentally reconnect your electricity.
• Contact a qualified electrician if fuses or breakers fail or trip.

Plugs and Cords

• Always unplug by pulling on the plug and not the cord.
• Don’t overload wall sockets.
• Do not remove or bypass the third prong on a plug. It’s there because it is required for safety reasons.

Extension Cords

• Use an extension cord that is properly rated for the load and only use it temporarily.
• Keep your extension cord away from water.
• Do not use worn extension cords as they may cause shocks and fires.
• Do not run cords under your carpeting - it can cause harm to the cord’s wires and their protective coating and may result in a fire.

Appliances and Equipment

• Ensure appliances do not get wet. Water and electricity do not mix.
• Unplug appliances before moving, cleaning or repairing them.
• Unplug your toaster before recovering a wedged piece of toast.
• Keep electrical appliances away from sink and bath water.
• Turn off heating and cooking appliances before leaving home.

Power Tools

• Unplug power tools when you are not using them.
• Do not operate around water or stand on a damp floor when using power tools.
• Be sure to use a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter for all your electrical outdoor power tools.

Outdoor

Lighting Your Property

• Ensure temporary outdoor lighting, such as holiday or seasonal lighting, is connected to a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.

Installing Antennas or similar objects

• Maintain a safe distance from power lines. If power lines are in proximity contact us to determine line voltage and safe limits of approach.
• Position your antenna away from power lines by at least 1.5 times its total length.

Lawn & Garden Tools and Projects

• Not sure whether you have an underground electrical service? Contact us before you dig, trench or till on your property.
• Check for overhead power lines and the location of your service entrance prior to setting up a ladder.
• Only use your electric lawnmower on dry grass. Do not mow the lawn when it is raining.
• Use garden tools and appliances that have three prong plugs.
• Inspect your garden tools’ electrical cords for frayed insulation. If frayed, repair before using.
• Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter outlets for outdoor plugs.

Tree Planting and Cutting

• Your tree will become a hazard if it grows into power lines. Always plant your trees away from power lines.
• Cutting a tree that could fall into a power line can be very dangerous or even deadly. Contact us if limbs on a tree you wish to cut are in proximity to power lines.
• Do not try to move a tree that has fallen into a power line. Stay clear as a dangerous step and touch potential situation could occur. Contact us for assistance.

At Work

Employers: Train Employees & Hire Qualified Electricians

• Ensure you have the correct knowledge and skills to do your work.
• Always remind ALL workers about overhead power line dangers.
• Give employees special instructions regarding known hazards such as, “Do not transport this cultivator through this gate because of the overhead power line”.
• Always hire qualified electricians for work on electrical systems.

Workers: Follow These Safety Guidelines

• Ensure you have the correct knowledge and skills to do your work.
• Are there risks involved? Before, beginning and during a job, consider the risks associated with all tasks you must perform. A thorough evaluation includes assessing your work area, tools and equipment for hazards and ensuring effective and control measures are put in place.
• Make it your business to know where overhead and underground lines are located and how far you need to stay away from them in order to stay safe.
• Consider the tools and electrical equipment that you may use. Ensure they are inspected prior to use.
• Ensure you have the correct knowledge and skills to do your work.
• Double check that your equipment or tools have been unhooked, unplugged, disconnected or de-energized when your work is completed.
• Despite all precautions, equipment sometimes comes in contact with electrical lines. If equipment comes in contact with power lines, stay on or in the equipment and ask someone to contact us to remove the danger.

Safe Distance from Power Lines

A safe work distance from a power line is a 6 metres (20 ft) clearance. If your work is going to be closer than 5.2 metres (17 feet) to a power line, contact us prior to beginning your work.

Line Heights and Clearance

• Never measure line heights yourself.
• If there is a question about clearance needed for equipment that must travel underneath each line contact us.
• Avoid encouraging on safe limits. Required clearances must be maintained.
• Equipment such as grain augers and sprayers must be put in the lowered position before moving them around electric wires. Keep ladders, antennas, poles and similar objects away from power lines.

When Working Near Power Lines

• Before you begin your work, note possible hazards. If overhead lines are present or there may be underground facilities, contact us to find out line voltages and safe limits of approach.
• Power lines heights may change with changing temperatures. Always look for changes every time you work near power lines.
• Ensure the height limit of a load, including any attachments, is below the legal height limit.
• Know where the power lines are at all times – use caution when loading and unloading.
• Have a spotter watch and warn you if you are getting too close to a power line.
• Check that your dump/boom body of the truck is lowered before you leave the work area.

In An Emergency

• Despite all precautions, equipment sometimes comes in contact with electrical lines.
• If your equipment comes in contact stay on the equipment and ask someone to contact us to remove the danger.
• Anyone in proximity to equipment that has contact with electrical lines must stay clear by at least 15 metres (50 feet) until Maritime Electric’s qualified employee has verified that the situation is electrically safe.
• Ensure a qualified person performs a thorough inspection on any equipment involved in an electrical accident.

Downed Power Lines are Extremely Dangerous

• Never attempt to move a downed power line or anything touching a power line.
• A downed power line may be energized. If you see a downed power line, contact us immediately and warn others to stay away.

If you See a Downed Power Line

• If you see a downed power line, always assume that the wire is energized.
• Keep away from the power line and anything that is touching the wire by at least 15 metres (50 feet).
• Contact us immediately with the exact location
• Warn others of the danger and to stay clear by at least 15 metres (50 feet).
• If required shuffle or Hop, don't step out of the energized area.

If a Downed Power Line Falls on Your Vehicle

• If you are in or on your vehicle and it makes contact with a power line, stay inside your vehicle until help arrives. If still operable, try and move the vehicle away from the electrical source and contact us.
• Never touch the ground and your vehicle at the same time.

On the Farm

The best way to handle emergencies is prevention.

• Farm operators and employees must be vigilant when working around power lines to be sure that accidental contact is not made.
• It is imperative to maintain the proper distance from power lines.
• Examine your work areas before beginning farm work and identify potential hazards.
• Know where overhead and underground power lines are located on your property. Electrocution can occur when objects or equipment come too close or contact power lines.
• Apply safety decals to all equipment that may pose electrical hazards and explain the hazards to persons who work with the equipment.
• Keep all equipment away from overhead lines and if digging, ensure underground wires are located prior to commencing work.
• Inspect farm equipment for transport height and know the clearance required to allow safe passage under power lines.
• Contacting or getting too close to an overhead electrical line with for example a ladder, tractor, CB antenna, portable grain auger, sprayer or oversized wagon can be a life threatening mistake. Ensure safe limits of approach are maintained.
• When harvesting crops, spraying, maintaining machinery, assembling building, etc., always be aware of the location of electric lines and maintain a safe distance.
• Under no circumstances should a farm operator install or attempt to relocate any electric facilities without contacting us.
• Many electrocution accidents involve grain bins. This equipment is very tall and it is necessary for equipment around the bins to fill ports. It is imperative to maintain the proper distance from power lines.
• Farm operators with grain bins should consult Maritime Electric to establish specific clearances that must be maintained.
• Care should be taken when erecting fence wire along the same route as overhead power lines, avoid stringing fence wire where it may spring and come in contact with the overhead line, poles or power line attachments.
• Consider the possibility of underground utility supplies for new or replacement power lines.
• Non metallic materials like lumber, rubber, trees, rope, and hay may conduct electricity.