Anything attached to utility poles can create serious hazards for a lineworker.

Staples, nails, and tacks used to hang signs — as well as the signs themselves — pose dangers to electric lineworkers who might have to climb a pole to restore power following a storm or perform routine maintenance. It may seem innocent, but a small nail partially driven into a pole can have deadly results around high-voltage electricity.

Sharp objects like nails, tacks, staples, or barbed wire can puncture rubber gloves and other safety equipment, making linemen vulnerable to electrocution. An unseen nail might also prevent one of their leg spikes from properly setting into the pole or snag their belts or clothing, creating a fall hazard.

Lineworkers have reported poles used as community bulletin boards, satellite mounts, and even support legs for deer stands, lights, and carports. These attachments put line crews at risk, and anyone illegally placing these items on poles comes dangerously close to energized power lines with thousands of volts of energy pulsing overhead. Keeping any structure at least 10 feet away from utility poles is always wise.

Utility poles belong to the utility. Unauthorized attachments violate the safety code and are illegal. Violators can be fined.

Utility poles sure look attractive for folks wanting to easily hang roadside signs. But a lineworker’s job is dangerous enough. Please don’t add to that danger.