PORTLAND, Ore. – Fall is a great time for homeowners to take care of seasonal cleaning and fix-ups on their homes and yards prior to the onset of winter weather. But the year’s final spate of outdoor work can put people in danger if they’re not paying close attention to their surroundings.

 “People should always keep safety in mind as part of the task at hand,” said Gene Morris, Pacific Power’s safety director. “Power lines are put on top of poles and buried underground to help keep our customers away from danger, so plan your work in a way that will ensure a safe distance between you and any power lines or electric equipment. Staying alert and aware of your surroundings is the best way to ensure safety.”

 Contacting a power line can result in serious injury or even death. Electricity will take the shortest path to ground, traveling through tools, equipment or people to get there. 

 Pacific Power offers the following safety tips on common home, garden and clean-up projects:

• When painting a house or trim, note where power lines connect to the house and keep ladders, scaffolding and other equipment away.
• If moving, adjusting or installing an antenna or satellite dish, keep well away from electrical wires.
• Note the location of overhead electrical wires both while working and when moving equipment when you’re installing, removing, cleaning or repairing gutters. 
• If using electrical tools while mowing, trimming or edging, do so only in dry weather after inspecting the cords and any extension cords. Don’t allow electrical cords to lie in water. Use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) available from most hardware stores. Also, be sure to wear proper eye and hearing protection while working with and around electrical tools.
• Check for nearby electrical wires when pruning trees. If lines run through or near your tree, don’t attempt to cut. Instead, call Pacific Power at 1-888-221-7070.
• Be sure to plant flowers, shrubs, trees or bushes away from meters, power poles, switching cabinets and boxed transformers on the ground. Aside from roots damaging underground cables, eventual growth can block the view of the meter for reading or make access for repairs or maintenance difficult and dangerous for utility workers. 
• If building a fence or digging a hole for planting, call your local utility locator service before digging to ensure you don’t hit any underground power, gas, water, cable or telecommunications lines. If you don’t know the number for your area, call Pacific Power at 1-888-221-7070. Contacting underground electric cables is just as dangerous as contacting overhead lines.

 For more safety tips or to order free Pacific Power safety education materials, call 1-800-375-7085 or visit www.pacificpower.net/safety .

Media inquiries: newsdesk@pacificorp.com