Outdoor Electrical Safety

  • Assume all wires are power lines and never touch one. If you spot a downed power line, keep everyone out of the area and immediately call 911 and us at (509) 547-5591 or (800) 638-7701.
  • Pay attention to the location of all overhead power lines. Make sure to check for power lines in or near trees before pruning branches. Don’t use pruning tools or ladders near power lines. Use the 10-foot rule. Always keep yourself and anything you’re handling at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. Never try to remove a branch that is tangled or lying across a power line. Simply call (509) 547-5591 or (800) 638-7701 and we’ll be happy to remove it for you.
  • Call before you dig when putting in fence posts, planting trees, installing sprinkler systems or excavating for new construction. Contacting underground power lines can be dangerous. Call 811 at least 48 hours before you dig to have lines marked for free.
  • Landscape carefully around electrical equipment. 
  • Take care when climbing trees. Always look for power lines before climbing. 
  • Please don’t attach flyers, signs, or any other items to utility poles. They create a hazard for workers, reduce the life of the pole and are a violation of state law.
  • Be careful around substations. The high-voltage equipment in our power substations is very dangerous. Never attempt to retrieve items that may have accidently entered into a substation.

It’s easy to take electricity for granted...until there’s a power outage. Because it’s invisible to us we often forget about how powerful and potentially dangerous it really is. Franklin PUD makes electrical safety a priority and we ask that you make it a priority as well.