As construction and other seasonal work ramps up across British Columbia, BC Hydro and WorkSafeBC are reminding employers and workers that electrical hazards pose a risk for workers in all occupations working near overhead and underground power lines.
Data from WorkSafeBC shows that electrical incidents overwhelmingly affect workers outside the electrical trades who may still be exposed to power lines as part of their jobs, such as construction workers, window washers, painters, surveyors and crane and heavy equipment operators. From 2015 to 2025, approximately 74 per cent of short-term, long-term and fatal claims related to contact with power lines involved workers in non-electrical occupations.
A new BC Hydro survey reinforces this trend, highlighting a gap in electrical safety awareness among workers in non-electrical occupations. While many workers said they know how far they and their tools should stay from overhead power lines, 41 per cent could not correctly identify the required distance.
Awareness of underground electrical hazards is also limited. Forty-two per cent of workers said they had not heard of, or were unsure they had heard of, BC 1 Call, and nearly 15 per cent were unsure what steps must be taken before digging.
“Electrical hazards remain a serious risk on job sites, especially for workers whose primary role is not electrical work, but who are operating near power lines,” said Matt Wilson, BC Hydro’s Senior Vice-President of Safety. “Construction, maintenance, excavation, tree trimming and traffic control workers are often exposed to electrical infrastructure. As workloads increase over the summer months, so does the risk of injury.”
“These numbers make it clear that electrical safety is not just an issue for electricians or power line workers,” said Todd McDonald, Head of Prevention Services at WorkSafeBC. “Employers whose workers are operating near power lines — whether in construction, window washing or other industries — must ensure they understand minimum approach distances. In all cases, workers must stay at least three metres (10 feet) away from power lines, and in some situations, that distance must be greater. Proper training and safe work procedures are essential.”
Over the past 10 years, WorkSafeBC has issued 688 orders for failing to maintain required separation distances from energized high-voltage equipment, with 531 issued to employers in the construction sector.
BC Hydro and WorkSafeBC encourage employers and workers to:
- Know the requirements: Review the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) and WorkSafeBC guidance to understand minimum approach distances and required safeguards.
- Look up, look down, and stay back: Identify overhead and underground power lines before starting work and always stay at least three metres (10 feet) away — or more if required for the task under the OHSR. Any project that disturbs the soil means you must click or call BC 1 Call first.
- Choose the right equipment: Never use conductive ladders, such as metal or aluminum, near power lines. Fiberglass ladders reduce risk but do not eliminate electrical hazards or allow work within minimum approach distances.
- Call for help: If you encounter a downed, damaged, or low-hanging power line power line, exposed underground cable, or equipment that has contacted a line, treat it as live and dangerous, even if it's not sparking or making a sound. Stay back at least 10 metres (33 feet) and call 911.
Employer responsibilities
Employers are responsible for protecting workers by ensuring they are aware of their hazards, trained, supervised and following safe work procedures. This includes identifying nearby electrical infrastructure, maintaining minimum approach distances, using appropriate equipment and notifying the utility owner of potential hazards.
Worker responsibilities
Workers, like everyone on a worksite, must understand their rights and responsibilities for workplace health and safety. Workers who need to work closer to energized electrical equipment must complete training recognized by WorkSafeBC. Only trained and authorized workers may operate within adjusted limits of approach, and only when additional safeguards are in place.
In addition to regulatory requirements, BC Hydro offers free electrical safety awareness training for trade workers, first responders and others who may work near high-voltage power lines.
Survey results
To better understand worker awareness, BC Hydro surveyed 200 B.C. workers who worked near electricity in March and April 2026. Results show a clear gap between confidence and knowledge—particularly among workers whose jobs do not primarily involve electrical work. For more information please visit our working near power lines page and bchydro.com/threemetres.
About WorkSafeBC
WorkSafeBC operates a non-profit workers’ compensation system funded solely by employer premiums and investment returns. The organization provides no-fault workplace insurance to 2.7 million workers and 286,000 employers across B.C. WorkSafeBC engages workers and employers to prevent injury, disease, and disability in B.C. When work-related injuries or diseases occur, WorkSafeBC provides compensation and support to workers in their recovery, rehabilitation, and safe return to work.
About BCHydro
BC Hydro is a provincial Crown corporation, owned by the government and people of British Columbia, Canada. We generate and deliver electricity to 95% of the population of B.C. and serve over five million people. That's a big responsibility that demands a simple, clear and straightforward mission with a clear vision that's guided by our values.