Each year, farm workers are killed or injured when long equipment makes contact with overhead power lines. Irrigation pipe is involved in many accidents, as young people seeing animals enter the pipe will often upend it trying to get them out.

Take some time to survey your surroundings before moving any long equipment. Look up and around you; note any power lines that could be close enough to come into contact with equipment – and stay away.   Always know the location of nearby electrical lines when working with irrigation equipment. Any contact between the irrigation equipment and nearby electrical lines could be fatal or cause serious injury.

Safe Electricity offers the following tips:

• Store unused irrigation pipes far away from power lines or electrical equipment.
• Position irrigation pipes at least 15 feet away from power lines.
• Avoid moving irrigation equipment on windy days when pipes could be blown into nearby power lines. Keep pipes horizontal to the ground rather than vertical to minimize the risk of contact with power lines.

If an irrigation pipe comes in contact with a power line, never try to remove it yourself. Stay away from it and call your local electric utility for help.

Learn more about safe operation of irrigation safety by clicking here.