Utah's Overhead Line Safety Act - Rocky Mountain Power

To order free Rocky Mountain Powersafety materials or schedule a free safetypresentation, call us at 1-800-375-7085.For all other information and for safetyassistance around power lines, call tollfree at 1-888-221-7070.More safety information is available atrockymountainpower.net/safety.Utah’sOverheadLine SafetyActFacts youshould knowwhen workingnear overheadpower linesTo protect those working near overheadpower lines from accidental contact, theUtah Legislature enacted the High VoltageOverhead Line Safety Act.The law stipulates that noconstruction activity involving cranesand derricks is to take place within 20feet* of an overhead power line.* Please refer to the Occupation Safety andHealth Administration (OSHA) regulationwhich clearly identifies the distance you mustmaintain while performing any work nearoverhead power lines.We’ll work with youAs soon as you inform Rocky MountainPower of your intended constructionactivity, we will work with you onappropriate precautions. Our response mayinclude any or all of the following:1. coordinate construction schedules2. place temporary mechanical barriers toprevent contact with the lines3. temporarily de-energize and groundthe lines4. temporarily raise or move the linesProvision for paymentThe act stipulates that the responsible partyis to pay the utility for the cost of providingthe mutually satisfactory precautions.It also specifies that the utility will startthe precautionary measures within threebusiness days after an agreement forpayment has been reached.The act outlines civil penalties and otherliabilities for failure to comply with itsprovisions. For your reference, the new lawis printed in full in this brochure.Contact us immediatelyIf you or your contractor are going to beworking near overhead lines, pleaseimmediately contact the Rocky MountainPower office nearest your intended job site,or call toll free at 1-888-221-7070. If youdon’t know who operates the power lines inquestion, we will gladly advise you.We look forward to helping make yourconstruction activities as safe as possible bymeeting all requirements of the law.Utah Code Title 54, Chapter 8cHigh VoltageSection54-8c-1 Definitions54-8c-2 Notification to public utility– protective measures –procedures – payment54-8c-3. Information filed withcounty clerk54-8c-4 Violation54-8c-5 Exemptions54-8c-6 Association for mutualreceipt of notification ofactivities close to highvoltage overhead lines6/11

Overhead Lines54-8c-1 DefinitionsAs used in this chapter:(1) “Authorized person” means an employee oragent:(a) of a public utility that(i)generates, transmits, or deliverselectricity; or(ii) provides and whose work relates tocommunications services;(b) of an industrial plant whose work relatesto the electrical system of the industrialplant;(c) of a cable television or communicationservices company, or of a contractor ofa cable television or communicationservices company, if specifically andexpressly authorized by the owner ofthe poles to make cable television orcommunication services attachments; or(d) of a state, county or municipal agencywhich has or whose work relates to:(i) overhead electrical lines;(ii) overhead lighting systems;(iii) authorized overhead circuitconstruction;(iv) conductors on poles; or(v) structures of any type.(2) “Business day” means any day other thanSaturday, Sunday or a legal holiday.(3) “High voltage” means voltage in excess of sixhundred volts measured between:(a) conductors or(b) a conductor and the ground.(4) “Overhead line” means all bare or insulatedelectrical conductors installed above theground.(5) “Public utility” means any entity thatgenerates, transmits or distributes electricalenergy, including any:(a) public utility as defined in Chapter 2 ofthis title;(b) municipality as defined in Title 10;(c) agricultural cooperative association asdefined in Title 3;(d) improvement district as defined in section17B-1-102 or(e) entity created pursuant to Title 11,Chapter 13, Interlocal Cooperation Act.(6) “Responsible party” means any person whocontracts to perform, is responsible for theperformance of or has control over anyfunction or activity at any location.54-8c-3 Information filed with countyclerk(1) A public utility shall file with the countyclerk of each county in which it has highvoltage overhead lines a list containing:(a) the name of the public utility owning thehigh voltage overhead lines;(b) the name of any municipality, city ortown where the public utility operateshigh voltage overhead lines; and(c) the name, title and address of itsrepresentative designated to receive callsfor activity close to its high voltageoverhead lines.(2) In counties where an association provided inSection 54-8c-6 is established, the telephonenumber of the association shall be filed withthe county clerk on behalf of all participatingpublic utilities.54-8c-4 Violation(1) Any responsible party who causes, permits,or allows a function or an activity in violationof any provision of this chapter is subject toa civil penalty in an amount not to exceed$1,000, to be imposed by any court ofcompetent jurisdiction against this partyand in favor of the state. If imposed, the fineshall be paid into the General Fund.(2) Actions to recover the civil penalty underthis section shall be brought by a publicutility or the county attorney of the county inwhich the violation occurs.(3) A responsible party is liable to the publicutility operating the high voltage overheadline for all damages to the facilities and forall liability incurred by the public utility as aresult of any contact if:(a) the responsible party causes, permits, orallows a function or an activity in violationof any provision of this chapter; and(b) as a result, a physical or electrical contactwith a high voltage overhead line occurs.54-8c-5 ExemptionsThis chapter does not apply to construction,reconstruction, operation, or maintenance by anauthorized person of:(a) overhead electrical, cable television, orcommunications circuits or conductorsand their supporting structures;(b) electrical generating, transmission, ordistribution systems or(c) communications, cable television, oroverhead lighting systems.54-8c-6 Association for mutual receiptof notification of activities close tohigh voltage overhead lines(1) Public utilities may form and operate anassociation providing for mutual receipt ofnotification of activities close to high voltageoverhead lines in a specified area.(2) In areas where an association is formed:(a) notification to the association is effectedas set forth in Section 54-8c-2; and(b) public utilities with high voltage overheadlines in the area:(i)may become members of theassociation;(ii) may participate in and receive theservices furnished by the association and(iii) shall pay their proportionate share ofthe cost for the services furnished.(3) The association whose members orparticipants have high voltage overheadlines within a county shall file a list containingthe name, address and telephone number ofevery member and participating publicutility with the county clerk.(4) If notification is made by telephone, anadequate record shall be maintained by theassociation to document compliance with therequirements of this chapter.