How To: Safely work with high voltage when pole topping

This educational safety video is geared toward public and private utility workers and linemen who need to remove pole tops while dealing with high-voltage electrical cables and electrical insulators. It discusses the proper pole topping removal procedure and demonstrates effective procedures for removal.

Before starting your work, an initial safety plan is needed. The purpose of forming an initial safety plan is to review each site for ground and weather conditions, potential hazards, electrical lines and sources, safe truck positioning, and to inform employees about job site conditions. Also, you'll need to know which types of cuts will be used and be able to answer any questions regarding safety policies and procedures.

Just as important as job pre-planning is having and knowing how to use the safety equipment needed for pole topping. General personal safety equipment should be worn at all times. The safety equipment you should be using during each pole topping is: safety glasses, gloves, hard hats, ear plugs or ear muffs, full body harness, lanyard, flexible ballistic nylon pads or chaps, linesman's rubber gloves, rubber blankets, spiral line sleeves, grounding equipment, aerial manlift or bucket truck, line truck or digger derrick, hand line, rope slings, and chainsaw.

*Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, 2000