Pruning Around Electrical Wires
Why trim trees? All utilities have to trim trees for safety and reliability. It is imperative that our employees, our customers and the general public are protected from accidental contact with energized electrical conductors.
Unfortunately, trees provide a means for either direct or indirect contact with these energized electrical conductors. Contact between trees and energized electrical conductors can produce either momentary voltage fluctuations or power outages. Brief contact between the tree and energized electrical conductor will cause heating of both the conductor and the point of contact on the tree. If the heating is sufficient the aluminum electrical conductor can be damaged or melt in two. If the tree provides a path to ground for the electricity, an electrical fault will occur producing an outage.
How to trim trees? GRU employs trimming standards as set forth in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A- 300 and adopted by the International Society of Arboriculture, the National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Arborist Association. Pruning practices are detailed in the section entitled Proper Pruning.
Who can trim trees near electrical wires? GRU contracts all routine tree trimming maintenance activities with nationally recognized utility tree trimming contractors. These contractor’s employees are certified line clearance tree trimmer under OSHA regulations and may work within 10 feet of energized electrical wires. Private commercial tree care companies are not OSHA certified to be within 10 feet of an energized electrical conductor over 700 volts. It is of the utmost importance that the property owner should never attempt to trim trees around electrical wires.
Notification prior to trimming? GRU will attempt to contact the property owners prior to trimming activities. This will be accomplished by one of GRU’s foresters placing a green door hanger on your door. It will have instructions and phone numbers if the customer requires additional information or has specific concerns that need to be addressed. If you have any questions, please contact the forester within five (5) days of receiving the door hanger.
