Look up

On a January morning, a truck driver raised the bed of a dump truck and failed to notice as it came into contact with an overhead power line. When the driver touched the release for the truck’s tailgate, he was electrocuted.

In a different instance, an operator raised his truck’s trailer to within less than a foot away from a 12,500-volt overhead power line. The electricity from the overhead line was transferred to the trailer, and when the operator stepped out of the cab, an electrical circuit was formed when he touched the ground, electrocuting him.

Another driver began driving forward without noticing the bed of the truck was still in a raised position. The raised truck bed hit an overhead power line, and contact with that live wire resulted in the driver being electrocuted.

These are all real-life examples from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration of fatalities involving trucks coming into contact with overhead power lines.

In response to an increasing number of incidents involving overhead power lines over the last few years, including a steady increase in truck contact with power lines, the Electrical Safety Foundation, an Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit organization with a mission to reduce electrical-related fires, has partnered with the Recycled Materials Association, Washington, on an informational safety campaign focusing on power lines.

In the past, the waste and recycling industry was an occupation that didn’t have many instances of making contact with electrical lines, but over the last five years those numbers have been going up, says Daniel Majano, senior program manager for the Electrical Safety Foundation.

Overhead power line contact accounts for about 48 percent of all electrical fatalities in the workplace, he says, and about 70 percent of all of those workplace fatalities involve nonelectrical workers.

“These are people who don’t necessarily know about the hazards around electricity, and in these cases, it’s mostly people coming into contact with things that they don’t know,” Majano says. “In the case of collection trucks or truck drivers in general, in many cases it’s those trucks are either backing into overhead power lines, whether it’s into the actual pole or the line itself, or their beds are coming in contact with the overhead power lines. In most cases, those overhead power line contacts are going to be deadly.”

Electrical misconceptions

One common misconception around power lines, he says, is assuming they are not insulated. It’s not necessary for drivers to make direct contact with the line or the electricity to come in contact with the truck—when a truck comes within 10 feet of a regular overhead power line or closer with higher voltage lines, the electricity actually can jump to the truck.

For that reason, the safety campaign urges truck drivers to avoid coming within 10 feet of overhead power lines and to always keep an eye out for what’s around when the bed goes up.

To remind drivers to stay aware of their surroundings, the Electrical Safety Foundation has coined a phrase for its campaign, “Remember Your G.O.A.L.: Get Out and Look.”

“Always look up,” Majano says. “Always be aware of any sort of overhead hazard there may be.”

Drivers also might not realize that a power line can energize a tree, he adds. In areas where trees are mature or have drooping branches, it’s important to keep an eye out for those that might be in contact with energized lines.

Storm damage

One situation that can be particularly dangerous is following a winter weather event when snow or ice on a power line can cause it to sag. That sagging provides less clearance for trucks and increases the potential for them to come into contact with lines.

“A lot of these drivers drive the same routes all the time, but after a storm—and it doesn’t even have to be a major storm—some of the lines might look like they’re drooping a little bit,” says Jennifer LeFevre, executive director of the Electrical Safety Foundation. “If something looks a little lower than they’re used to, maybe they should take the time to get out and look. It may seem like it’s a waste of time, but their life is certainly worth taking the time to do so.”

In the aftermath of a storm, tornado or any sort of high-wind situation, drivers often encounter downed power lines. Even if a line is down, Majano warns, it can still be energized. It’s best to assume that all lines, down or up, are energized and potentially deadly.

“It’s not going to jump around,” he says. “It’s just going to be lying on the ground, and it’s going to be energized and what it does is it radiates that energy, that electricity, throughout the ground.”

Drivers should never attempt to drive any sort of vehicle over a downed power line or anything that’s in contact with one, Majano says. They also should never try to move a downed power line. Instead, drivers should stop the truck and notify authorities by calling 911.

If a driver notices a downed line only after driving over it, he or she should not try to back up or lower the bed, which can create a bigger hazard. Instead, Majano says, the driver should stop and notify the proper authorities immediately.

Emergency response

If the worst happens and a truck driver makes a mistake, backing into an overhead line or raising the truck bed into an overhead line on accident, he says the best course of action is not to try to correct that mistake.

“You can actually cause more damage by lowering the bed or trying to get out or trying to correct that issue,” Majano says.

Once notified, the local utility department should be able to turn off electricity to the wire. Once that has been verified, the driver can continue safely.

Trying to step out of the truck after it’s come into contact with a power line is the riskiest choice because it can create a dangerous electrical circuit.

“If you’re in your truck, you’re fine. You’ll be safe,” Majano says. “The key is to just stay there. Stay put, stay in the truck.”

The only time it’s advised to exit the truck in that type of situation is if a driver sees smoke or fire or it’s a life-threatening situation, he says. In such a case, drivers should try to avoid touching the truck and the ground at the same time. Instead, they are advised to jump to the ground, feet together, and then shuffle away from the truck.

Additionally, drivers who have come into contact with an energized line should notify others to stay away because the ground could be energized. Majano suggests keeping a distance of at least 35 feet, which is about the length of three trucks.

Above all, LeFevre says, it’s critical not to panic.

“Don’t try to fix it,” she says. “Just say, ‘OK this happened. I’m going to call the authorities and they’re going to help fix this so that the truck and I stay safe.’”

The author is managing editor of Waste Today and can be reached at smann@gie.net.