Working Safely Around High-Voltage Utility Systems
Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 2:00pm ET - 1:00pm CT - 11:00am PT
You don’t have to work for an electrical utility to encounter a serious electrical hazard.
Construction crews, equipment operators, public works employees, contractors and workers across general industry routinely perform jobs near overhead power lines, underground cables and other energized utility systems. And while utility professionals are specifically trained to work around high voltage, employees in other industries may encounter these hazards only occasionally — making preparation and awareness especially important.
Join Jim Boyd of e-Hazard, an electrical safety professional with more than 45 years of industry experience, for a practical discussion about protecting workers whose jobs bring them near high-voltage utility infrastructure.
Drawing on decades of experience in utility operations, safety management and high-voltage contracting, Boyd will examine real-world hazards involving cranes, aerial lifts and other equipment near overhead lines; excavation around underground cables; and work near utility poles and energized equipment.
The session will also address a critical part of prevention: knowing when to involve the utility before work begins. A conversation with the utility can provide important information about the electrical system and, in some situations, identify options for making the work safer.
Finally, attendees will learn what workers should do when something goes wrong — including how to respond when a crane, vehicle or other piece of equipment contacts an energized power line.
Attendees will learn:
- How to recognize common high-voltage utility hazards before work begins.
- When and why employers should contact the electrical utility.
- How to better prepare employees and contractors working near energized systems.
- What workers should — and should not — do following contact with an energized power line.
- Practical lessons safety managers can use to educate workers and help prevent potentially catastrophic incidents.
Whether your employees work around utility infrastructure every day or encounter it only occasionally, the fundamentals of high-voltage safety are something every safety professional should understand.
Register for this free webinar!
DATE: Thursday, September 3, 2026
TIME: 2:00PM ET - 1:00PM CT - 11:00AM PT
About the Speaker:
Jim Boyd, Electrical Safety Consultant, eHazard
Jim has over 45 years of experience in the electrical industry, primarily in high voltage applications with electrical utilities. His management expertise includes project planning, daily operations, and representing employers with clients as well as in safety-related litigation and regulatory rulemaking.
Throughout his career, Jim has been involved in training development and delivery, most recently as a Safety Director and Electrical Operations Safety Manager. He has established, maintained, and supervised environmental compliance and safety programs, policies, and procedures, including training, supervising, and coaching employees at multiple sites. He’s left his mark in safety at companies such as Tacoma Power, Potelco Inc. and Puget Sound Energy.
