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Power Lines and Tall Equipment

Auger, boom, antenna, loader and sprayer heights change with each setup, and overhead lines are easy to misjudge. Planning before you move is the best protection.

Why are overhead lines such a hazard?

Electricity can reach a person through equipment, the ground or contact with the machine, and the danger can exist without touching a line directly. Tall equipment such as augers, grain legs, sprayers, loaders and irrigation pipes is a frequent source of contact on farms.

Contact can be fatal. Do not rely on memory about how close is too close. Utility companies and organizations such as OSHA and NIOSH publish official safe-distance information, and you should ask your local utility for guidance specific to your lines.

Most contact incidents involve machinery that is raised, such as augers, loaders and antennas, so the usual cause is a moment of inattention or a change in routine, not carelessness. Build habits that protect you when you are tired or distracted.

• Augers and grain legs
• Loaders and booms
• Sprayers and antennas
• Irrigation pipe

How do you plan before moving equipment?

Walk or drive the route first and note every overhead line, including lines that sag, lines near field entrances and lines across driveways. Look up as well as ahead. Write the locations on a map shared with everyone who moves equipment.

Know the height of your machine in its transport and working positions, including raised augers and antennas. Lower equipment as the manufacturer directs before moving.

• Map the lines on your farm
• Know your equipment height
• Lower or fold equipment before moving
• Brief every driver
• Assign a spotter near lines

Who can help with line locations and clearances?

Your electric utility can tell you about lines on and near your property, and can advise about safe working distances. Many utilities will talk with farm families about moving lines or adding markers. Call before you work near lines.

Ask whether relocation or burying is possible for lines that cross busy work areas. This may involve costs and rules that the utility can explain.

If you plan new bins, buildings or irrigation, involve the utility early. Retrofitting is harder than getting the layout right at the start.

How do you work near lines?

Use a spotter who watches the lines and the machine, and agree on a signal to stop. Never move tall equipment when you are tired, in poor light or in a hurry. Wind, uneven ground and sagging lines can change clearances.

Do not store or use equipment under lines. Plan the layout of bins, augers and irrigation so you do not need to work near them.

Hand-held and transported items such as ladders, pipes and long tools can also reach lines. Carry them low and flat, and keep a clear walking path.

• Use a spotter
• Avoid work in poor light
• Do not store equipment under lines
• Plan the layout away from lines

What if equipment contacts a line?

Call 911 and the utility. Stay away from the machine and anyone touching it, and warn others to stay back. Do not attempt a rescue yourself. Wait for the utility and trained responders to tell you when it is safe to approach.

Official guidance from OSHA, NIOSH and utilities explains what to do in this situation and how people can stay safe. Learn it now from those sources, and rehearse it with your family and crew, since the moments after contact are the hardest time to think clearly.

• Call 911
• Call the utility
• Warn others to stay back
• Do not attempt a rescue

What about downed or damaged lines?

Treat any downed or sagging line as live. Keep people and animals far away, and call 911 and the utility. Do not drive over lines or try to move them with an object.

After storms, check for damage from a safe distance and report problems.

Teach children and visitors the same rule, as downed lines can hide in grass, water or brush.

How do you build habits across the farm?

Put reminders in the shop and on equipment, such as stickers that show the machine's height and an alert for lines. Review hazards at the start of each season and when new workers join.

Share information with custom operators and visiting contractors. Make it normal to stop and ask when you are not sure about clearance.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.