How staying aware of your surroundings will help you stay safe during the summer season (2024)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — With the warm weather returning, National Grid wants to give a few tips on how to stay safe when working outdoors or when enjoying time outside.

“Spring is here, and summer will be upon us soon,” said Monica Alston, Vice President of Safety, Health and Environment for National Grid. “Whether it’s gardening, clearing leaves from the gutters, or just soaking in the sunshine, we want our customers to be safe and avoid preventable injuries.”

They say simple projects like tending to your garden or using a ladder may present hazards if you’re not staying aware of what is around you.

“Situational awareness is important to your safety,” Alston said. “Assessing what’s going on above, below, and all around you before you begin any project is the first step in successfully and safely completing your task.”

National Grid offers the following tips to work and play safely outside this season.

Make the Right Call Before Digging

Every digging project, no matter how large or small, should feature a call to 811 to avoid damage, service outages, and potential injury. Calling 811 before you start your project dispatches a utility representative to mark the location of underground utilities.

While supply lines are often laid 12 to 18 inches below ground, frost heaves, erosion or other digging projects may cause them to move. Locally, UDigNY provides this free service to ensure your safety and the safety of your infrastructure.

If you’re working with a contractor, do not let them dig until your underground utilities have been marked. You could be held liable for any injuries or damage they cause.

Look up before climbing

• When using a ladder, make sure you are at least 10 feet away from the power line. Ensure you are far enough away from the line to avoid contact with it.
• Never set your ladder in a puddle of water or on damp ground to prevent slippage or risk of conducting electricity.
• Never attempt to use a ladder to clear debris from a power line running along your street. These lines carry higher levels of electricity, and contact between the line and you or your ladder could be fatal.
• Never attach or tie anything to power lines or the connecting equipment on your home.
• Keep away from wires when working with tools, pipes, lumber, or siding, all of which may conduct electricity.
• Stay away from electric lines when pruning or trimming trees.

Think before you play

• Kites, model airplanes, and other toys should be flown only in open fields, far from trees and power lines. If a toy gets tangled in a tree or power line, the safest thing to do is leave it there and call 911. Do not attempt to retrieve it on your own.
• Don’t fly toys on damp or rainy days. A wet string can conduct electricity. Don’t use metal string or a kite that has metal in its construction. If it touches a power line, the life of the person holding it could be in danger.
• When sailing and fishing, be alert near shorelines, inlets, and marinas for overhead lines that could come in contact with masts or antennae. Before casting a fishing line, check for nearby electric lines.
• If you notice a downed wire, stay away from it. Always assume downed wires are live and carrying electricity. Immediately call 911 or call National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 (NY).

Thunderstorm Safety

thunderstorms can mean dangerous lightning, hazardous winds, and sudden rains that can cause flooding.

• The best practice is to assemble and update your disaster supply kit before the stormy season approaches including a first-aid kit and medications, specialty items like dog food and diapers, non-perishable foods, a can opener, and at least three gallons of water per person.
• Make sure to have flashlights, batteries, and a portable radio to listen for emergency alerts.
• Make a list of your insurance companies, policy numbers, and contact information, valuables, and other records, and keep it in a waterproof container.
• Identify the lowest point in your home or an interior room with no windows that you can use if you are in a National Weather Service-issued Severe Thunderstorm Warning or Tornado Warning.