Farmers urged to keep equipment away from power poles and power lines, August 2022. (Photo: A.Gibson-Epp)

By LNN staff with files from Rob Mahon

Utility companies urge farmers to ‘look up and live’ during harvest

Aug 25, 2022 | 11:22 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB and PRINCE ALBERT, SK — Utility companies on the prairies are reminding farmers to look up and be aware of the location of power lines and power poles near their property during harvest season.

Fortis Alberta states that the increasing size of farm equipment can impact safe power line clearances, so farmers should know the height of their equipment and plan the safest routes on and around their property.

According to SaskPower, there is an increase in collisions with power poles and lines at two points during the year: in the early spring when seeding begins and in the late summer and early fall during harvest.

“You have more farmers and producers and hired hands, employees and so on, out in the fields either seeding or harvesting,” said SaskPower spokesperson, Scott McGregor. “So, it stands to reason you would see an increase in line contacts.”

In a news release issued August 23, 2022, SaskPower stated that as of August 7, there had been 186 incidents involving farm machinery so far this year. Any one of those incidents could have turned deadly.

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“The most serious consequence would be, potentially, death should line contact occur,” said McGregor. “Should any farmer or producer or operator of large equipment come into contact with a power pole or a power line, the most important thing to do is to remain in your vehicle. The vehicle is the safest place to be.”

Fortis Alberta says to assume that the vehicle and anything touching it is energized, stay in the vehicle, and never contact the equipment and the ground at the same time.

The exception to this rule is if contact with the power line or pole starts a fire. If that happens, SaskPower has some advice on how to exit the vehicle as safely as possible.

“The operator should open the door as wide as they can, cross their arms in front of their chest, and jump as far away from the vehicle, avoiding any downed lines or other damage to the structure, as far as they possibly can,” McGregor said. “Land with both feat on the ground at the exact same time, keep your arms tight to your chest, and hop with your feet together away from your vehicle at least ten meters away, then call 911.”

From there, McGregor said an operator should not go back to the vehicle under any circumstances because there’s no way to know what is electrified from contact with the pole. The best safety policy, however, is to avoid collisions with power poles or wires altogether.

“First off, make sure that you are rested,” said McGregor. “We absolutely understand that harvesting puts a lot of long hours in, over multiple days, so finding time to rest and recharge those batteries is hard to do, but it should be a priority in terms of making sure you are rested and alert.”

McGregor said the number of collisions between farm equipment and power equipment in Saskatchewan is exactly the same so far this year as it was in 2021. He added that farmers in that province can plan their routes ahead of time using the map on SaskPower’s website.

In Alberta, Fortis Alberta warns that it’s easy to forget to look for power lines, especially when working on familiar land or when transporting equipment. If farmers have questions about power line safety in Alberta, they can call 310-WIRE (9473).

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