Job hazard analysis: working near overhead power lines
Work, drive, or lift near energized overhead lines.
- 4 steps
- 5 PPE items
- Editable in Reldro
The job hazard analysis
PPE required: Hard hat, Safety glasses, Gloves, Safety boots, High-visibility vest
1. Find and mark the lines
What could go wrong
Not seeing the line; assuming it's dead
How we control it
Treat every line as live. Ask the utility for the voltage and the clearance distance, and mark the zone on the ground.
2. Plan the work
What could go wrong
Cranes, lifts, ladders, or scaffolds reaching a line
How we control it
Move the work away from the line, or ask the utility to cover or de-energize it. Plan equipment paths so no part can reach the zone.
3. Use a spotter
What could go wrong
Operators misjudging distance
How we control it
Assign a spotter whose only job is watching clearance. Agree a stop signal.
4. If contact happens
What could go wrong
Electrocution from the machine or the ground
How we control it
Stay in the cab and call for help if you can. If you must leave, jump clear with both feet together and shuffle away. Keep others back.
- Required clearance distances depend on the voltage and your local rules. Get them from the utility.
When to use it
Use it before any work where a person, tool, or machine could reach an overhead line.
Review it with the crew before the work starts, change anything that doesn't match how you'll do the job, and update it when the method, the equipment, or the site changes.
Use this JHA in Reldro
- It arrives ready to edit, and your crew uses it on their phone, even without signal.
- Failed items become corrective actions with an owner and a due date.
- Every completed one is kept with the site, the date and who did it.
