Working Near Electrical Conductors

Overview

Contacting energized electrical conductors may result in serious burns, fatal electrocutions, and/or damaged equipment.

Many people think power line contact injuries primarily happen to electrical workers. They would be mistaken. In fact, according to WorkSafeBC, 74% of all power line claims between 2015 and 2025 happened to non-electrical workers.

Electricity can flow through objects that are touching power lines, and it can also move across the gap between a power line and an object that is close by. This is known as “arcing”.

When working near electrical conductors, BC Hydro advocates The 3 Keys of Electrical Safety: look up and down, stay back, and call for help.

When working near electrical conductors, BC Hydro advocates The 3 Keys of Electrical Safety: look up and down, stay back, and call for help.

WorkSafeBC regulation also specifies the safe limits of approach (LOA) to prevent arcing. These are safe distances that need to be maintained by any person, tool, machine, or material. This includes equipment like ladders, power tools, scaffolding, cranes, and machinery.

You can learn more about limits of approach in our other Safe Work Practices: Limits of Approach and Limits of Approach: Once Contact is Made.

Assess the Hazard

Perform a hazard assessment before starting crane operations near power lines to identify potential risks and implement appropriate controls. The hazard assessment must:

1. Identify the work zone and assess it for power lines. Perform a risk assessment to determine how close the crane could get to them.
2. Contact the controlling authority before entering a work zone to obtain information on operating voltages. In B.C. the controlling authority is typically BC Hydro.
3. If the assessment shows that the crane could get closer than the minimum safe distance for lines, then requirements for additional action are triggered.

Eliminate the Source

The first and preferred option, when crane operations will be performed near overhead power lines, is to eliminate the hazard by requesting de-energization of the relevant power lines. This must be coordinated with BC Hydro, an authorized representative, or the owner of the line. All power lines should be presumed energized unless the utility owner confirms the power line has been de-energized.

Another option is to move the line so that the line’s minimum clearance distance can be maintained. Like de-energizing the line, only the company who owns the line may move it.

Maintain Safe Distances

Workers and equipment must maintain the minimum approach distances to the power lines while work is being done. The required distances, or limits of approach, change depending on the voltage of the line.

Minimum Approach Distance for Work near Power Lines (Table 19-1A)

Prevent Encroachment and/or Electrical Damage

Pre-Job Planning

Hazard identification and risk assessment must be completed before work begins. When operating to the maximum working radius of the crane, if any part of the crane, load line, or load, including rigging and accessories, could get closer than the minimum limits of approach outlined in Table 19-1A above, further precautions must be followed as outlined below:

1. Conduct a pre-task meeting with the operator and other workers who will be in the area of the equipment or load. Review the locations of all relevant power lines and the steps that will be implemented to prevent encroachment and maintain safety.
2. Develop and enforce specific safety procedures for crane operations near power lines. Ensure all workers involved in the operation are familiar with these procedures.
3. If tag lines are used, they must be non-conductive. The requirement that the tag line be nonconductive is designed to protect the rigger. “Nonconductive” means the object has a high resistance to the passage of electrical current under the conditions of use.
4. Set up exclusion zones around power lines and conductors to restrict access and prevent unauthorized people from entering hazardous areas. Erect and maintain an elevated warning line, barricade, or signs in view of the crane operator. Restricted areas should be equipped with flags or similar high-visibility markings at the LOA. If the operator is unable to see the elevated warning line, a dedicated spotter must be used.
5. The crane operator should not stand on the ground beside the crane when operating its remote controls. All workers in the vicinity must be instructed to remain clear and out of contact with the frame of any equipment, hoisting lines, or the hoisted load, except when attaching or detaching the load.

Dedicated Spotter

A dedicated spotter has the sole responsibility to watch any part of a crane, the load line, and load as equipment nears the limit of approach to power lines. The dedicated spotter must be positioned so they can effectively gauge the clearance distance from the power line.

The dedicated spotter must be a competent person with a clear understanding of the LOA and site-specific hazard controls in place. The individual must be capable of accurately judging distances, recognizing encroachment risk, and communicating clearly with the crane operator and other personnel involved in the lift.

If working within the LOA of an energized power line and guarding is used as the protective measure, a spotter must be designated or, range-limiting or field detection devices acceptable to the Board must be used in accordance with Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) Section 19.25(5).

While equipment is in motion near energized conductors, the spotter must immediately halt all crane activity if any part of the crane, load line, or load is at risk of contacting the power line.

Remember, there are regulatory requirements when working within the LOA so be sure to follow all regulations and, where necessary, ensure that an Assurance of Compliance with Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, Part 19 (Form 30M33) has been submitted.

Use Zone Limiting Devices/Anti-Collision Systems

A zone limiting device or anti-collision system is an integrated safety system installed on a crane to prevent encroachment into restricted areas, including the limits of approach to overhead power lines. These systems may offer several key functions.

Proximity Alarm/ Range Control Warning

These alarms and notifiers alert the crane operator when any section of the boom, load line, or load is approaching a pre-set boundary near an overhead line. The alarm must be configured to provide sufficient warning distance to allow the operator to stop movement before encroachment occurs. Unlike the motion-limiting function described below, this operates as a warning rather than a hard stop, allowing the operator to take manual corrective action.

Range of Motion Limiting

This limiter automatically restricts crane movement to prevent the boom or jib from travelling beyond a programmed boundary. This function is especially applicable to tower cranes, where the swing angle can be set to prevent rotation beyond a specified arc, or the boom radius can be restricted to maintain safe clearance.

Implement Additional Safety Measures

Further safety measures may be introduced to enhance the prevention and protection against power line contacts. These additional measures do not replace the precautions outlined above.

Insulating Links

Insulating links do not prevent encroachment but offer protection to workers handling the load by minimizing the risk of electrocution in case encroachment does happen. When using insulating links, it is crucial to install them between the end of or below the load line and the load. In the event of a power line contact, the linkage serves to block the passage of electricity to the load.

Insulated Sleeves

Insulated sleeves can be attached directly to the power lines. These sleeves act as a barrier to prevent physical contact between the crane and the power line. The installation of insulated sleeves is exclusively carried out by the utility company or the representative of the line owner. It's important to note that even if insulated sleeves are in place on the power lines, the prescribed minimum distance must still be observed.

Emergency Procedures

In the event of a power line contact, injuries to crane operators are generally less severe than those sustained by riggers or other workers near the equipment. This is due to equipment design.

When an operator is inside the crane cab, they are at the same voltage potential as the equipment, which significantly reduces the risk of electrocution. However, this protection applies only when the operator is inside the cab.

Boom truck, mobile crane, and self-erecting tower crane (SETC) operators, or any operator positioned outside of the equipment cab, are exposed to the same electrocution risks as ground workers and must follow ground worker protocols accordingly.

All other workers on the ground must maintain a minimum safe distance of 10 metres (33 feet) from any part of the energized crane, load line, or load. If workers are within 10 metres of the downed lines or energized equipment and not in danger, they should stay in place, as long as it is safe to do so.

The other option is to shuffle away from the energized area, keeping both feet in contact with the ground at all times and not moving one foot completely past the other.

For more information on what to do once contact is made with an electrical conductor, see our Safe Work Practice: Limits of Approach: Once Contact is Made.

References and Resources

OHSR

• Part 19 Electrical Safety, Sections 19.24; 19.25, 19.24.1, and 19.26

BC Crane Safety

Safe Work Practices:

BC Hydro

• Working near Power Lines
• Working near the BC Hydro Overhead System

Information in this document is considered accurate at the time of publication. Please contact BC Crane Safety with any questions or recommendations for content revision.

Please refer to WorkSafeBC for current copies of the Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.

email: [email protected]
phone: 604-336-4699