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| Work safely around overhead power lines |
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| Roofing, installing rain gutters, painting exteriors, hanging holiday lights and other overhead activities can bring you dangerously close to energized lines. Follow these tips to protect yourself and your crew from potentially deadly electrical contact. |
Order our FREE worker safety kit on the Xcel Energy
e‑SMARTworkers website. |
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| Look up and look out |
| Carefully examine your work site for overhead power lines, poles and guy wires before starting every job, and point them out to crew members. Make it a habit to check for power lines before raising ladders, tools or materials, and when erecting, moving or dismantling scaffolds. |
| Follow the 20-foot rule |
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Keep yourself, all tools, equipment and vehicles at least 20 feet away from overhead power lines carrying up to 50 kV. Greater voltages require greater distances. |
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Before work begins, call Xcel Energy at 800-895-4999 to verify voltages, and consult osha.gov to determine the minimum required safety clearance distances. |
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If you must work closer to power lines than the mandated distance, call Xcel Energy well in advance to make safety arrangements. |
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Carry all ladders, long-handled tools, gutters, siding and downspouts level with the ground. |
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Keep in mind that tools, equipment and materials can shift due to wind or unexpected events. Always maintain the minimum required clearance plus a buffer zone. |
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| In case of power line contact |
| If your equipment should contact an overhead power line or cause an overhead power line to fall, assume the power line is energized and take the following precautions: |
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Do NOT touch or move the line. Keep the public far away. |
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Call 911 and Xcel Energy immediately at 800-895-1999. Do NOT resume work until utility representatives tell you it is safe. |
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If the line should fall onto a truck or other equipment, don’t panic. Warn everyone, including other workers, to stay far away from the vehicle as well as the power line. Anyone inside or on the vehicle should stay where they are until instructed otherwise by Xcel Energy or emergency officials. |
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Always remember to stay at least 30 feet away from a fallen distribution line and at least 100 feet away from a fallen transmission line. |
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| Would you like to know more? |
| Additional overhead and digging guidelines, emergency procedures, case studies, instructional videos and training tools can all be found, at no charge to you, on Xcel Energy’s e‑SMARTworkers website. |
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| To reach your state’s underground utility locate service/one‑call center, call 811 or visit their online site by clicking on your state’s name below. |
| The required “business day” wait time for each state is as follows (excludes weekends and legal holidays): |
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| In case of emergency, call 911 and then Xcel Energy: |
| Electrical Emergencies: 800‑895‑1999 |
| Natural Gas Emergencies: 800‑895‑2999 |
Gas Transmission Pipeline Emergencies (CO and TX only): 800‑698‑7811 |
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| © 2025 Culver Company, LLC |
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