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| Overhead and Underground Safety Practices |
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| Review these tips with coworkers at your tailgate or toolbox meetings before work begins to help avoid potential hazards when working near overhead and underground power lines. |
| Order our FREE worker safety training kit on the Duquesne Light Company e‑SMARTworkers website. |
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| Look Out for Overhead Power Lines |
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Survey your job site every day to find overhead power lines, poles, and guy wires, and point them out to coworkers. Be alert for lines that may be masked by foliage or otherwise blocked from view. |
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Consider all overhead power lines to be energized and potentially dangerous, including the service lines that run from utility poles to buildings. |
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Mark a safety boundary to keep workers, tools, and equipment a safe distance away—at least 10 feet—from power lines up to 50 kV. Higher voltages require greater distances. For specific requirements, consult Duquesne Light Company and osha.gov. |
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If you must work closer than regulations allow, contact Duquesne Light Company at 412-393-7100 well in advance so that safety arrangements can be made. |
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Designate a spotter whose only job is to make sure you maintain the mandatory safety clearances between your equipment and overhead power lines. |
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| Dig Safely |
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Notify 811 before you dig or move earth in any way—even for small or shallow jobs. This service will arrange to have underground utility lines marked so that you can dig a safe distance away from them. |
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Dial 811 or use the online ticket-entry system at www.pa1call.org. Then wait at least two full business days, excluding the date you notify 811, weekends and legal holidays. |
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Pre-mark the boundaries of your proposed dig area with white paint, flags, and/or stakes before you notify 811. Some 811 centers allow you to pre-mark through electronic white-lining when making your online locate request. |
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Hand dig or use other soft excavation methods within the tolerance zone to carefully expose marked utilities and verify their precise location and depth. In Pennsylvania, the tolerance zone is 18 inches from either indicated outside edge of a marked utility line. |
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Call Duquesne Light Company immediately to report any contact with an underground electric line. |
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| Always contact your state 811 center before digging and for the most current requirements. |
| Would You Like to Know More? |
| Additional utility safety tips, case studies, instructional videos and educational tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on Duquesne Light Company's e‑SMARTworkers website. |
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