May is National Electrical Safety Month and the perfect opportunity to revisit important information that could save a life if a user encounters a downed or exposed electrical line.
Electricity seeks the path of least resistance. Touching a downed or exposed line can make the user part of a circuit in which electricity travels through the body — including the heart — to reach the ground.
de-energize a line
Protective devices throughout the system de-energize a line when a tree or other hazard is detected. However, CORE linemen and field personnel stress that “if it isn’t grounded, it isn’t dead.”
Even if the user thinks a downed or exposed line is dead, treat it as though it is still energized with the 7,200 volts at which most of the primary lines operate. Stay at least 100 feet away, and call CORE immediately at (800) 332-9540.
