How to Work Safely Near Power Lines and Service Drops on a Roof
Look before you lift anything. The limit of approach is fixed, and a ladder, a metal panel or a gutter can carry current a long way.
- Advanced
- 15 minutes of planning per job
- Updated
The short answer
Before any roof job, find every overhead wire and assume it is live. In BC, workers and their tools must stay at least 3 metres (10 feet) from overhead lines over 750 volts and up to 75 kV, with larger distances for higher voltages. Carry ladders and metal panels flat, use nonconductive ladders, and call BC Hydro or FortisBC to have lines de-energized, covered or moved when work has to go closer.
Overhead lines are a part of most neighbourhoods in the Fraser Valley, and they often run close to rooflines. A service drop from the pole to the house can land within reach of an eave, a mast or a gable end. Primary lines on the street can be higher voltage and travel near the tallest part of a roof. On any roof job, the wires are a hazard that cannot be seen on a plan and cannot be removed without the utility.
Most electrical contacts on roofs happen in a few ways: a ladder or a long pole swung into a line, a metal roof panel or piece of drip edge lifted into one, a worker stepping back on a roof and touching a conductor, or a gutter and a downpipe becoming live through contact with the service mast. They all share the same cause, which is not checking the lines before the work starts. This guide sets out the plan, the distances and who to call. For the ladder side of it, see how to set up an extension ladder, and for metal handling see how to cut metal roof panels.
Tools
- Tape measure or rangefinder for checking distances from the ground
- Nonconductive fibreglass ladder
- Spotter or second worker
- Wood or fibreglass poles for handling long items
- Site hazard checklist
Materials
- Utility contact details and any work order or reference number
- Bright flagging tape or cones to mark the no-go zone
- Line covers, arranged through the utility only
Safety first
- Treat every overhead wire as live and never assume it is insulated. The coating on a service drop is weather protection, not a guarantee against shock.
- Under the WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation, Part 19, the general limit of approach to overhead lines from over 750 V up to 75 kV is 3 metres (10 feet), and it grows with voltage. Check the current table for the actual voltage, and always confirm the voltage with the utility.
- You do not have to touch a wire to be hurt. Current can arc across a gap, and a long metal object touching a wire can energize everything it contacts.
- Never try to move, cover or de-energize a line yourself. Only the utility or a qualified worker can do that.
Step by Step
Step 1: Walk the site and find every overhead line
Look up, not just at the roof. Lines often hide in trees, run behind chimneys, or sit at the edge of the work area. Note where the service drop connects to the house, where the meter is and where the mast runs. Include lines on neighbouring properties that could be reached with a long ladder or a swung panel.
Photograph the lines and include them in the job plan. Tell every worker on site where they are, and write down who has been told.
Step 2: Identify the voltage and the required limit of approach
Under Part 19 of the OHS Regulation, a general limit of approach applies to workers and their tools and materials. For voltages over 750 V up to 75 kV, the limit is 3 metres (10 feet). Higher voltages need larger distances, for example 4.5 metres over 75 kV and up to 250 kV. Lines below 750 V, such as many residential service drops, have different rules, but they can still kill.
You cannot tell the voltage by looking. A primary line and a service drop can look similar from the ground. Confirm with BC Hydro or FortisBC, and check the current table for the exact figures.
Step 3: Mark the no-go zone and plan the work around it
Use tape, cones or a written plan to show where the limit sits. Remember that the limit is measured in three dimensions, and includes anything you are holding or carrying. A 20 foot ladder held upright has a much longer reach than a person does.
Plan where materials will be stacked, where ladders will go and where the bin will sit. Place them so a swinging panel or a raised ladder cannot reach the zone.
Step 4: Call the utility if work has to go closer
BC Hydro and FortisBC can advise on the options and may be able to install insulating covers or temporarily disconnect the service. This can take time and may cost money, so plan ahead. Get the arrangement in writing and do not start until it is in place.
For work near a house service mast, such as reflashing the mast, a licensed electrician may also need to be involved to disconnect the house side. See how to flash an electrical mast.
Watch out: Never lift, bend or push a wire aside, even one that looks insulated. Only the utility or a qualified worker can work on or move a line.
Step 5: Use nonconductive ladders and carry long items flat
Raise ladders under the control of two people, well away from the lines, with the base set so the top cannot swing toward a wire. Before you extend a ladder, look up. Even a fibreglass ladder that is wet or dirty can conduct, so the limit still applies.
Metal roofing panels are long, light and easy for wind to catch. Two people should carry each panel flat and low. Do not stand panels on end near lines, and do not lift them overhead.
Step 6: Assign a spotter and watch the wind
A spotter stands where they can see the line and the load and calls a stop when something is getting close. Agree on signals before starting. On gusty Fraser Valley days, with outflow winds from the Fraser Canyon, a panel can swing 10 feet in a second, so the job has to stop or move.
Step 7: Know what to do if something touches a line
Anyone in contact with an energized object cannot let go and will not be helped by someone touching them. Keep others at least 10 metres away from downed lines or from a vehicle touching them, because the ground around a fault can carry current. Call the emergency number and the utility.
If you are in a vehicle that has touched a line, stay inside unless there is a fire, and then jump clear with both feet together without touching the vehicle and the ground at the same time.
Step 8: Brief every worker and review at the start of each day
A line that was out of reach on Monday may be in reach on Wednesday when the crew moves to the other side of the roof. A quick check and a reminder at the start of each day keeps the hazard in front of everyone.
Service Drops and Masts
The service drop is the cable that connects the utility pole or transformer to the building. It ends at a mast or a wall bracket near the roof edge, with a weatherhead. Reroofing often means working around the mast, flashing it and sometimes disconnecting it. The mast belongs to the homeowner, but the wires up to the meter belong to the utility, and contact with them is dangerous even when the service is under 750 V.
Do not rely on the insulation on the cable. Older wire can be cracked, and even new cable can be damaged by a nail, a ladder or a scraping edge.
Metal and Wet Materials
Metal roofing, aluminum gutters, downpipes and wet wood conduct electricity. A panel that touches a line can energize every panel it touches and the person holding it. That is why metal roofing has its own rule: keep panels on the ground or in a controlled lift and away from lines until the moment of installation.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming a service drop is harmless because it is low voltage or insulated.
- Raising a ladder without looking up. The moment of contact is the moment of raising or lowering.
- Stacking metal panels near lines and carrying them upright in wind.
- Not calling the utility because the job is only a few minutes. A few minutes is all it takes.
- Only briefing the foreman. Every worker has to know where the lines are.
- Letting the work area drift toward the lines as the crew moves around the roof.
When to Call a Professional
If any part of the job is within 3 metres (10 feet) of a line, or you are not sure of the voltage, stop and call the utility. A roofer with experience will know the process for getting covers or a temporary shutdown, and will not start until it is arranged.
Anything involving the service mast, meter or electrical connections also needs a licensed electrician. Roofers flash masts, they do not disconnect them.
Fraser Roofing does free roof inspections across the Fraser Valley, from Hope to Abbotsford. See our Roof Repair service or the towns we cover.
How to Work Safely Near Power Lines on a Roof: Questions
How close can you work to power lines in BC?
Under the WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation Part 19, the general limit of approach for lines over 750 V up to 75 kV is 3 metres, or about 10 feet, and it increases for higher voltages. That applies to workers and to everything they hold or carry. Lines under 750 V have different rules, but you should still treat them as live and confirm with the utility.
Are service drops dangerous?
Yes. The service drop from the pole to a house is an energized conductor, and its outer jacket is weather protection, not a reliable shock barrier. Wire can be cracked with age or damaged by ladders and debris. Stay well clear, do not touch or move it, and call the utility before any work near the mast.
Can I use a metal ladder near power lines?
No. Aluminum ladders conduct electricity and have caused many fatal contacts. Use a fibreglass ladder near lines, keep it clean and dry, and set it up so it cannot fall or swing toward a wire. Even fibreglass ladders must stay outside the limit of approach, because dirt and moisture can make them conduct.
Who do I call to move or cover a power line?
Contact the utility that owns the line. In most of the Fraser Valley that is BC Hydro, and in some areas FortisBC. They can advise on line covers, temporary shutdowns and relocation. Do not attempt to cover, move or de-energize a line yourself, and do not start work inside the limit of approach until the utility has confirmed the arrangement.
What should I do if a ladder touches a power line?
Do not touch the ladder or anyone in contact with it. Keep everyone at least 10 metres away, call 911 and the utility, and wait for them to de-energize the line. If you are the person holding it, try to stay still and shout for help, because moving can cause a step voltage shock across the ground.
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This guide is general education. Always follow the product manufacturer's installation instructions, the BC Building Code and WorkSafeBC requirements, which take priority over anything written here.
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