Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. is dedicated to promoting safety to our employees, our members, and the communities we serve and work in. Electricity poses a great danger, so here are some tips and guidelines on playing it safe around electricity.
Electrical fires can damage your home and possibly cause harm to your family. It is vitally important to take steps to prevent fires as well as to know what to do if a fire does occur.
To lower your risk of an electrical fire in your home:
If an electrical fire happens:
IF YOU CAN’T CONTROL THE FIRE, GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE IMMEDIATELY AND CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR’S PHONE OR FROM A CELL PHONE.
Extension cords are handy tools. However, they must be used properly at all times and you should follow the manufacturer’s user guidelines.
Holiday lighting:
The holiday seasons are always great for lights and decorations. Just be sure they are as safe as they are beautiful:
Children can sometimes be curious, which can lead them into trouble when it comes to electricity:
At Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. we want you and your family to play it safe around electrical dangers. It could be the difference between life and death.
Planting and Trimming Trees
Never plant trees, shrubs, or bushes on top of, under, or near power lines.
Little trees grow into big trees that can touch power lines. Trees conduct electricity easily which put tree-climbing and kite-flying children at risk.
Please call us before you try to cut or trim trees near power lines. This is very risky. Overhead power lines carry from 25,000 to 345,000 volts. Also, please don’t attempt to remove a branch that is mingled with a power line. This can bring down the line as well as the branch.
And always call us before you dig a hole to plant a tree or shrub. We will mark our lines before you dig.
If you find a fallen wire or conductor, NEVER TOUCH IT. Report it to Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc. or to the police.
If you are in a car that is touching fallen power lines, don’t touch the lines or the car. Stay in the car and try to drive away if it appears safe to do so. If you can’t drive away, wait for help to arrive. DON”T GET OUT OF THE CAR! Warn other people to stay away. If you have to get out of the car, jump clear without touching the vehicle and the ground at the same time, and then hop away with both feet together.
If you are planning any projects that require digging like installing fence posts or planting trees, stop and think twice about what may be hidden underground that you cannot see. Most of the new power lines today are installed underground. Since they are out of sight, it is easy to forget that they are there. And they could be right below where you are planning to dig. A lot of the new underground power lines and cables are installed near property lines and property corners, so pay special attention to these areas.
Whether you have underground service to your home or not, if is a good idea to call us before you do any digging in your yard. We will be happy to show you how you can get all the underground lines on your property marked and flagged.
IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE AND DIG INTO OR UNCOVER AN UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC LINE, DO NOT COVER IT BACK UP! It is far easier and less expensive to repair and inspect at this time than to search for and correct the problem later.
Utility or power poles are used to safely support electric power lines and conductors (wires) that provide vital service to our members and communities. They are the backbone of our distribution system.
Please do not place yard sale or garage sale signs, posters, advertisements, or any other items on utility poles. They are safety hazards for our utility linemen. Line workers have to work around these attachments when climbing poles. Nails and staples pose a greater hazard for linemen to get hurt or to fall.
Also, privately owned sports equipment like basketball goals, private lighting, birdhouses and feeders, or any other personal device should not be installed on any utility pole.
Finally, please refrain from landscaping around the bottom poles with flower boxes, etc. If a line worker should fall on these, he could be injured more seriously.
An electrical substation has a fence around it for a reason. And the signs attached to the fence say “DANGER – KEEP AWAY” or “WARNING – HIGH VOLTAGE” because they mean it. Sorry this does not sound too friendly, but the fence and signs are there to protect you.
An electrical substation has voltages as high as 345,000 volts running through it. This can kill someone in an instant. Only authorized and trained workers are allowed to work in or near high voltage substations. The whole substation is a danger zone, so please avoid getting near them at all times.