Power Lines
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Overhead danger: high voltage.
Overhead power lines can carry more than 500,000 volts. If you touch one of these wires with your body or an object you are holding (such as a paint roller or ladder) while you are grounded, you will provide an instant path for electricity and will be hurt or even killed.
- Assume all lines are energized.
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Underground lines can shock, too.
Although underground lines are out of sight, a shovel or other digging tool can damage them and cause a shock hazard. Substations and transformers also contain live parts that can be dangerous.
Power lines and electrical equipment do their job safely, as long as you keep your distance.