Most jobs don’t require you to climb 40 feet in the air and conduct business within a few feet of high voltage power lines that carry 7,200 volts or more of electricity. However, for our linemen at Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative, this is just another day in the field.
Across the nation there are millions of utility poles that provide the electricity that powers everything in your daily life. The electricity we depend on would not be possible without the linemen who maintain and repair these utility poles.
Our team at HOEC urges everyone to keep utility poles free from all personal materials such as balloons, fliers, and metal objects like staples, tacks and nails.
Our linemen use specialized climbing devices to perform regular maintenance and repair damaged power lines at the top of utility poles. Nails, tacks, and other metal objects that are used to attach objects to utility poles can interfere with the safe operation of the climbing boots used by the linemen.
Foreign objects that are embedded in utility poles can also snag or damage the protective clothing that keeps line workers safe from electrical shock. These linemen already work in extremely hazardous conditions, so let’s do our part by taking steps to make their job as safe as possible.
So, the next time you’re hanging up yard sale signs, birthday balloons or fliers, please keep safety in mind and remember to never post on power poles. The safety of our linemen depends on it.
