Safety

Safety Education

Tri-County EMC offers safety education programs for adult and children's groups. These programs feature live demonstrations of the hazards of contact with power lines and practical safety tips for avoiding dangerous situations. Demonstrations are available for civic, social or government organizations as well as public or private schools. To schedule a program or demonstration for your organization, contact Tri-County EMC's Manager of Safety and Training, Clate Hollinshead, at clateh@tri-countyemc.com.

 

For Tri-County EMC, safety is our first commitment, both to the public and our employees. Our employees undergo thorough and routine safety training. We also offer safety tips for electrical safety and education programs for adults and school children about the hazards of electrical safety. We also encourage homeowners and contractors to participate in the Georgia Call Before You Dig program.

Some Electrical Safety Tips

Around Power Lines:

Tri-County EMC power lines are either 7,200 or 14,400 volts. In either case, accidental contact can be fatal.

• When working outside, look up. Never use machinery or ladders underneath power lines without at least ten feet of clearance.
• Use extreme caution on rooftops. Watch for overhead power lines, and take care to stay away from power lines when working with antennas, ladders or other objects.
• Do not allow children to play on utility poles, guy wires or underground transformer cabinets.
• Never allow children to climb trees in proximity to overhead power lines.
• Avoid driving a car underneath low hanging power lines or over downed power lines. Should your car come in contact with power lines, stay in the vehicle until emergency or utility personnel arrive and tell you it is safe. If the vehicle is on fire or otherwise too dangerous to stay inside, exit the vehicle by standing on the door-frame and jumping clear, taking care not to jump into low hanging power lines. Then hop away with both feet together.
• Before beginning any excavation, have all utility services located by calling Georgia Call Before You Dig.
• Do not plant trees underneath power lines or over buried underground power lines.

In the Home:

• Make sure receptacles in your bathrooms and kitchens are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt (GFCI). These specialized receptacles protect you from short circuits when using small appliances.
• Never overload receptacles or extension cords above their rated capacity.
• Electrical cords should be free of cuts or fraying and equipped with the original grounding prong.
• Use caution not to exceed the rated wattage of light fixtures, and take care not to expose bare bulbs to flammable objects.
• Don't place any electrical appliance near water, such as a sink or bathtub. Appliances that are used near water should be unplugged when not in use. If you have an appliance that has gotten wet, unplug it and don't use it until it has been checked by a qualified repair person.

Call Before You Dig

One of the most frequent causes of damage to utility equipment is accidental contact with underground power lines during excavation. The result is potentially life-threatening contact with electricity, expensive repairs to utility lines or equipment, and unnecessary power outages. Georgia's "Call Before You Dig" law requires that before beginning any excavation in the vicinity of underground electrical lines, you are responsible for calling the Utility Protection Center to request underground locate service. You must give the Utilities Protection Center actual notice at least 72 hours before excavation begins. This gives all owners of nearby utilities adequate opportunity to locate and clearly mark all underground facilities. Failure to comply with the requirements of the "Call Before You Dig" requirements will result in fines and liability for damages to utility facilities and injury or damage to persons or property resulting from damage to the underground facilities.

Additional programs and demonstrations

The operation of a modern electric utility gives our professionals unique training and valuable experience often interesting and informative to our members and the community.  From saving money on home electric bills to understanding national deregulation issues or environmentally friendly energy, our Speaker's Bureau offers the opportunity to bring this information to you and your organization.  Tri-County representatives are available for civic or social organizations throughout our service area.

Speakers and multimedia presentations are available for the following topics:

General Energy Efficiency

Green Power EMC and Earth Friendly Energy

Meeting Energy Needs for Today and Tomorrow

Deregulation

Electrical Safety (age specific for adult or children's groups)

Operation Roundup and the Cooperative's Role in our Community

Additional topics may be available.  The availability of all cooperative representatives is subject to individual schedules. 

To schedule a Tri-County EMC representative for a speaking engagement, contact Kim Broun at (478) 986-8126 or kimb@tri-countyemc.com.