Toolbox talk · Electrical
Overhead power lines
Overhead power lines are on or near almost every job we work. You don't have to touch a line to get hurt. Power can jump to a ladder, a boom, a scaffold pole, or a long piece of material that gets too close. This week, before we start, we find every line and plan how to stay away from it.
Published 2026-10-23
Key points
- 1Walk the site at the start of the shift and look up. Point out every overhead line to the crew, including service drops to the building.
- 2Treat every line as live. You can't tell voltage by looking, and coatings on wires are not protection.
- 3Keep yourself, tools, and materials at least 10 feet away from lines, and more for higher voltage. If you're not sure how far is enough, stop and ask.
- 4Carry ladders, pipe, rebar, and long boards flat and low near lines. Use fiberglass or wood ladders, not metal, around electrical work.
- 5When a crane, lift, dump truck, or pump truck is near lines, have a spotter whose only job is watching the clearance.
- 6If work has to get closer, stop. The utility must de-energize, move, or cover the lines before anyone goes in.
- 7If equipment touches a line, the operator stays in the cab unless there's a fire. Everyone else stays back, call 911 and the utility.
Talk it over
- Where are the overhead lines on this site, and which tasks today bring us closest to them?
- Who will spot for the equipment near the lines, and how will they signal the operator to stop?
- What would you do if you saw a ladder or boom touch a line right now?
Remember
Look up, stay back, and treat every line as live.
Also in the other language: Líneas eléctricas aéreas
Official sources
- 29 CFR 1926.416 — Electrical — general requirements
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