How we can help you work safely

We provide the following online resources for learning how to work safely around overhead and underground equipment:

1. Information in the safety section of our website, specifically:
   • If you make contact with an overhead power line - what to do if you make contact with your equipment and how to manage an emergency situation.
   • Stay safe while you work - information on safe work practices and preventing power safety issues.
   • Working near underground power cables - information about utility locates and how to dig safely around underground power equipment.
   • Working near overhead power lines - always stay 7 metres away until EPCOR can advise you of your safe working distance (limit of approach).
   • Safe work planning - safe work planning and formal hazard assessment information.
2. Utility hazard awareness session - our new online utility hazard awareness session provides your team with important safety information. Learn how to work safely around power, water and drainage lines by taking this 25 minute session​.
3. Download our working in close proximity to power lines guideb​ook. ​

Our Safety Codes Officers can come to your worksite free of charge and provide you with information on what you can do to keep your crew safe around power equipment. If your work requires:

• Digging within 1 m of a power pole we can have a crew on site holding the pole in place while you complete your work.
• Digging near underground electrical facilities, we can help with locates and provide guidance about how to safely expose the power lines.
• Work within 7 m of an overhead power line you and your activities put you at risk of coming in contact with energized power equipment. We have many options that can be put into place to reduce the risk of a contact with our equipment (power line isolation, line protection, etc.).
  

Call or fill out our power line safety form to book an on-site consultation.

Our free awareness session is suitable for management and on-site personnel and helps increase your team's awareness of the hazards involved in working around power equipment. Topics included in the presentation:

• Properties of electricity, what is touch potential, step potential?
  
• Overhead power lines and what they are (e.g. Distribution, transmission, telecommunications, etc.)
• Underground facilities and what they are (e.g. transformers, ground grids, etc.)
• Damage prevention (e.g. how to hand expose, EPCOR Assistance, etc.)

Set up a session for your team with our online form or call Power Emergencies at 780-412-4500 and ask for a referral to a Safety Codes Officer.

Overhead power lines

• Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code, Part 17 Overhead Power Lines, Safe limit of approach distances (Section 225). (1) An employer must contact the power line operator BEFORE work is done or equipment is operated within 7.0 metres of an energized overhead power line.
• Alberta Electrical and Utility Code (AEUC):
  1. Activities near overhead power lines (Section 2-014)
  2. Buildings and objects near overhead equipment or lines (Section 2-014)
  3. Moving equipment or buildings (Section 2-018)

Underground power lines

• Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code, Part 32 Excavating and Tunneling, in particular:
  1. Disturbing the ground (Section 441)
  2. Locating buried facilities (Section 447)
  3. Exposing buried facilities (Section 448)
• Alberta Electrical and Utility Code (AEUC), Excavation work in the vicinity of underground power lines (Section 2-020).