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Working near Electric Company Lines


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I have been asked to quote the installation of a simple set of raceway letters about twenty feet above grade. There is no truck access, so the signs would be hung using ladders or a scaffolding. It's pretty straightforward except that the electric company's power lines run parallel to the wall and are less than 10 feet away from the spot where the sign is to be hung. I can't imagine a way to hang those signs that wouldn't be dangerous, (and scary), as long as the lines are energized, and so I guess I'll have to see about having them shut off during the install. Have any of you had a job like this? I never have, and don't know what to expect from the power company when I contact them. Will they really turn off a part of their power grid so that I can hang a sign? I have all the licensed I need for regular sign installations, so that's no worry at least.

Tom

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I have been asked to quote the installation of a simple set of raceway letters about twenty feet above grade. There is no truck access, so the signs would be hung using ladders or a scaffolding. It's pretty straightforward except that the electric company's power lines run parallel to the wall and are less than 10 feet away from the spot where the sign is to be hung. I can't imagine a way to hang those signs that wouldn't be dangerous, (and scary), as long as the lines are energized, and so I guess I'll have to see about having them shut off during the install. Have any of you had a job like this? I never have, and don't know what to expect from the power company when I contact them. Will they really turn off a part of their power grid so that I can hang a sign? I have all the licensed I need for regular sign installations, so that's no worry at least.

Tom

In most municipalities, you can pay a fee and the power company will come out and either turn off that section, or put sleeve's over it. It isn't cheap: here in Austin it runs about $750-$1000. But sometimes this is the only way.

If someone put a sign close to lines, or want's one serviced that is, it's their responsibility to do whatever is necessary to get the job done. I think OSHA now requires a 20ft clearance when working near live wires?

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Are the lines a service drop or main lines?

Installation & Maintenance Services

Brian Phillips | expresssignandneon@sbcglobal.net | P. 812-882-3278

Express Sign & Neon | 119 S. 15th Street - Vincennes - IN 47591

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Tough call. In Dallas, I can't get TXU to put insulators on power lines anymore. They told me it was against their policy. Looks like you have a pretty mean slope/grade to deal with as well. I assume by the pic your going to install on the radius portion of the fascia. Looks like a pucker factor job. Do it on a weekend when OSHA is sleeping. I'd go with an insulated ladder. Scaffolding will put you too close to the lines.

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you can get in there with a bucket cant you?

A bucket won't work because there's no good vehicle access. Without some kind of safeguard, I wouldn't want to work that close to high tension lines. I called the power company, and hopefully a representative will call back soon and let me know what the procedure for working near the wires will be.

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scaffold it higher and hang a tarp behind and over the work area. throw in a few coroplast sheets.

any arc will run down the scaffold to the ground.

the guy who stamped the plan is a total moron, main line conduction zone

will fry your brain like a zombie.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Working space from power lines varies based on line voltage.

But since they can't expect you to know if it's a 5Kv or 12Kv they make it a blanket

10 feet rule.

We did one similar last year. The local utility was easy to work with, only cost about $1200

To have them de-energize the lines for one day.

The worst part was just waiting for them to respond and to get a look at the job...

If I recall it took about a month of waiting.

Let us know how this goes for ya.

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Thank you all for your replies. In reply to an inquiry I made of the power company about the procedure of working close to those particular wires I was told that, since only the top three wires present a shock hazard - (the lower wires being one neutral and two communications cables), the clearance was acceptable for the sign install because the vertical distance between the closest hot wire and the sign was good enough. She said the company no longer goes out into the field to shield wires with blankets like they used to.

Tom

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