SaskPower is urging farmers to take care around power lines during this busy harvest season.
“We just do know that every year as harvest ramps up we see more and more incidents and that’s sort of why we want to try to get out ahead of it,” said Kevin Schwing, the utility’s director of health and safety.
Several incidents involving property damage have already been reported this year.
“Typically, it’s equipment hitting lines,” Schwing said. “It’s activity in the farmyards with augers by the grain bins and getting through farmyards, things like that.”
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He said it only takes a moment to be distracted and injured, and with increasing technology in equipment and ubiquitous use of cell phones, the distractions are becoming more plentiful.
He also said that harvest tends to bring out a lot of volunteer help. Family and friends might not know where overhead lines are or be paying enough attention.
“They’re really focused on the job you give them and you need to take the time to tell them about the power lines and the hazards around them, especially working an auger and lowering it when you’re moving it.
“Identify where the power lines are, plan a different route, lower the augers and get a spotter if you need to,” he advises.
If contact with a power line does occur people also need to know what to do, aside from calling 911.
If an auger contacts a line the person driving the tractor should stay put. If the tractor catches on fire, however, stay seated, open the door fully and make sure there are no wires in the way, then stand in the doorway with arms crossed and jump as far from the tractor as possible landing on two feet.
Hop at least 10 metres from the tractor, and then slowly slide feet apart. If you feel tingling, slide your feet back together and hop further away to safety.
