With harvest underway in the province, SaskPower is reminding farmers, hired hands, and anyone operating machinery to Look Up and Live this fall.

“SaskPower understands that harvest is an extremely busy time of year, and producers are putting in long hours,” said Nidal Dabghi, Director of Safety at SaskPower. “Every line contact is dangerous and preventable, and by taking a few precautions, everyone can have a safe and productive harvest.”

Farmers are encouraged to use the following steps to prevent accidental power line contacts:

• Get plenty of rest and take regular breaks to reduce fatigue
• Pay close attention to your surroundings, making sure you’re aware of how much clearance your equipment needs
• Use a spotter on the ground for an extra set of eyes
• Plan your route ahead of time with the Look Up and Live Map on saskpower.com, and try to avoid moving large machinery near power lines, whenever possible
• Lower or retract large equipment when working near power lines

In the event of a line contact, the operator should remain in their vehicle and call the SaskPower Outage Centre at 310-2220. In an emergency, call 911. Should the line contact start a fire, the operator should exit their vehicle using the proper safe exit procedure, move to a safe distance, and call 911. 

As of Aug. 7, 2022, SaskPower has recorded 186 incidents involving farm machinery this year, which is the same number recorded up to the same date last year.

For more information on how to stay safe during harvest, visit saskpower.com/lookupandlive.

At a glance...

• SaskPower is reminding farmers to Look Up and Live this harvest season
• Use a spotter, plan your route ahead of time, and take regular breaks to help prevent accidental power line contacts
• This year, SaskPower has recorded 186 incidents involving farm equipment as of Aug. 7, 2022
• More information about staying safe during harvest can be found at saskpower.com/lookupandlive