Working Safely Outdoors

Call before you dig
If you’re planning a project that requires digging, state law requires you to call Pennsylvania One Call at 8-1-1 at least three days before you dig. We’ll mark the location of any underground wires to help keep you safe.

Contacting underground wires can result in serious or fatal injuries and costly repairs. The Pennsylvania One Call service is free to homeowners. So, whether you’re doing landscaping, installing an invisible pet fence or taking on a similar project, don’t guess — play it safe and call.

You can help us by marking your digging site with white paint, flags or stakes. This helps our locators identify where you’ll be working.

Watch for overhead wires
Working around overhead wires can be dangerous, and contacting a wire with your body or an object can cause serious injury or death. Accidents can happen even without contact. Play it safe by remembering these tips:

• Look up and be aware of your surroundings. Know where power lines are at all times. Envision potential hazards you may occur before you begin work.
• Always maintain a safe distance of at least 10 feet from wires. Greater distances are required for wires carrying more than 50,000 volts. For more information, call us toll-free 1-800-342-5775.
  
• Assume every overhead wire is energized.
  
• Stay clear of any vehicle or equipment in motion near a power line.
  
• Keep bystanders a safe distance away.

Stay clear in the case of an accident or downed wire
Accidents, tree limbs and damaging storms sometimes knock down power lines. When a person or piece of equipment contacts a wire or you see a downed line:

• Assume the power line is energized.
  
• Keep people and pets away from the area around the downed power lines or any equipment in contact with a wire. Tree limbs, objects, the ground and even people can carry a current that can cause serious or fatal injuries.
  
• Do not try to move or touch an injured person on or near a downed wire.
  
• Call us immediately at 1-800-342-5775. When prompted, press 1 for “electrical emergency.”