Pole Parole--Objects on Poles Puts Lives on the Line–And It’s a Crime
What do yard sale signs, basketball hoops, deer stands, satellite dishes, and birdhouses have in common? They’re often found illegally attached to utility poles. But this isn’t only a crime of inconvenience. Safety issues caused by unapproved pole attachments place the lives of lineworkers and the public in peril.
It may seem innocent, but a small nail partially driven into a pole can pierce a lineworkers glove, stripping away critical protection from high-voltage electricity.
“Access Energy Cooperative line crews climb utility poles at all hours of the day and night, in the worst of conditions,” explains Don Roach, Director of Operations for Access Energy Cooperative. “Anything attached to utility poles can create serious hazards for our line personnel. Sharp objects like nails, tacks, staples, or barbed wire can puncture rubber gloves and other safety equipment, making linemen vulnerable to electrocution.”
Access Energy Cooperative lineworkers have reported many poles used as community bulletin boards, satellite mounts, and even support legs for deer stands, lights, and carports. Not only do these attachments put line crews at risk—anyone illegally placing these items on poles comes dangerously close to energized power lines with thousands of volts of energy pulsing overhead. It’s always wise to keep any structure at least 10 feet away from utility poles.
Unauthorized pole attachments violate the National Electric Safety Code. With this danger in mind, many states make it a crime to attach any unapproved item to a utility pole.
Please help us keep our linemen—and our community—safe. Don’t attach or tie anything to electric poles. Fixtures not belonging to the cooperative or another utility will be removed by Access Energy Cooperative line personnel; the cooperative is not responsible for any losses if an item is damaged or destroyed during removal.
Source: Megan McKoy-Noe, CCC of National Rural Electric Cooperative