State officials are taking time this week to give advice to residents before they work around power lines.
Wednesday was August 11th, also known as 8-1-1 Day, which brings awareness to the fact that people beginning yard work needs to call the 811 before they dig.
“Every year we see people who are trimming trees, cleaning gutters, doing other things, and there’s a power line behind you and you don’t think about it. You move, reach, turn and the ladder or pole makes contact with the wire and that’s the way people can get seriously hurt,” Nils Hagen-Fredriksen, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission said.
He adds that it’s important to call 811 before you dig so you don’t disrupt a power line.
The PUC also urges residents to not work within 10 feet of a live power line, and that they should call a professional to handle the job.