Farming is among the most dangerous occupations for many reasons, including potential encounters with electrical hazards. Before taking to the fields, San Patricio Electric Cooperative urges farmworkers to be aware of overhead power lines and to keep equipment and extensions far away from them.

Share this information with your families and workers to keep them safe from electrical accidents.

Start each morning by planning your day’s work. Know what jobs will happen near power lines and have a plan to keep 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 grain truck beds. 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 and elevators to their lowest possible level, under 14 feet, before moving or transporting them. Wind, uneven ground, shifting weight and other conditions can cause you to lose control of equipment and make contact with power lines.

Be aware of increased height on 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 height have sagged over time, call San Patricio EC to repair them.

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

Be careful not to raise any equipment, such as ladders or poles, into power lines. Remember, nonmetallic 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 farm electrical systems.

If you are on equipment that contacts a power line, do not exit the equipment. If you step off the equipment, you could 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 current flow through your body, which could be deadly.