Farmers are poised to get back on the land as spring seeding begins, and SaskPower reminds farmers and workers about playing it safe this seeding season. 

SaskPower tended to 288 farm related powerline incidents in 2021. One of those resulted in a fatality. The previous year, SaskPower dealt with 306 line incidents involving farm machinery. 

“We understand that as the weather gets warmer, there is a push to get seed in the ground as quickly as possible - and sometimes, this rush can lead to a collision involving a power line or a power pole,” said Nidal Dabghi, Director of Safety at SaskPower. “Safety is our priority, and it’s our goal to have everyone working in the fields this farming season come home safe, and without incident.”

Many of the incursion incidents involve large machinery and augers which is why its important to see that such equipment is lowered and retracted prior to transport. Planning ahead for the intended route using the Look Up and Live app is also critical. SaskPower also advises using spotters when working near lines and to be sure to be well-rested and avoid fatigue. 

In the event of contact with a power line, SaskPower says there are some important things to do after calling the SaskPower Outage Centre at 310-2220 or 911 if it’s an emergency.

The most important thing is to remain in your vehicle, provided it’s safe to do so. If staying in your vehicle isn’t possible due to a fire or other safety concern, follow these steps:

• Make sure no wires are in your way

• Stand in doorway, cross arms, put feet together

• Jump as far as possible, land with feet together

• Do not touch the vehicle

• Keep arms crossed, feet together, and hop at least 10 metres to safety

Under no circumstances should anyone return to their vehicle. For more information on seeding safety, visit: https://www.saskpower.com/lookupandlive