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 To report an outage please call 1-800-794-1989 or use the SmartHub mobile app. To talk to a person, press zero. To view our outage updates click here.

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Agriculture Safety

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  1. Safety
  2. Agriculture Safety

Our members include farmers, ranchers, and construction professionals. We want to keep everyone safe. Whether you are working in the field, moving around your property, or building something new FreeState Electric Cooperative should be a part of your plans for your safety. Safety is our priority.

Overhead power lines are necessary to deliver electricity, but they can also be deadly if not treated with caution and respect. FreeState urges everyone to watch out for electrical hazards.

It is the member's responsibility to let FreeState know if power lines or electrical equipment need to be moved to accommodate oversized equipment. Contact the cooperative at 1-800-794-1989 or email us to speak to someone about line clearance, safety, and projects that require oversized equipment, digging, or moving.  

  • Equipment Safety
  • Grain Bin Safety
  • Clearance Requirements
  • Irrigation

Be aware

  • Farmers and their equipment should always be 10 feet away from power lines on all sides. Field cultivators and sprayers can often reach as high as 12 feet in the air. Practice extreme caution and use a spotter to make sure you stay far away from power lines when you use tall equipment.
  • If you have purchased new equipment, be aware of antennas or other attachments that may pose new hazards. A newer, bigger piece of equipment may no longer clear a line. In addition, shifting soil may also affect whether or not machinery avoids power lines from year-to-year.
  • Power lines also may sag over the years. If power lines on your property are sagging, contact your electric cooperative to repair the lines. Never try to move a power line on your own.
  • Overhead power lines are not the only electric hazard on the farm. Pole guy wires, used to stabilize utility poles, are grounded. However, when one of the guy wires is broken, it can become charged with electricity. If you break a guy wire, call the cooperative to fix it. Don’t do it yourself.

Follow these other tips:

  • Look over work areas carefully for overhead power lines and utility poles. Make sure you, your family and employees know the location of overhead power lines, and use routes to avoid the lines when moving equipment. Do this every year, as equipment sizes and soil conditions may change.
  • Be aware of increased heights of equipment, especially new equipment with higher antennas.
  • Avoid moving large equipment alone. Have someone watch as you move equipment to make certain you are clear of power lines.
  • Be extra careful when working around trees and brush; they often make it difficult to see power lines.

What if you contact a power line?

  • Imagine that you are driving a tractor to the field when things come to a screeching halt. You look back to see what’s stopping you, only to discover that you’re tangled in an overhead power line! What do you do? First, DON’T climb out. If your equipment does contact a power line, stay in the cab and call for help. Warn others to stay away and wait until the electric cooperative arrives. Most utility lines are uninsulated, bare wires.
  • Do not let your body become a direct link between the power line and the ground. If you must leave the tractor due to immediate danger, such as a fire, jump as far away as you can, making sure that no part of your body touches the tractor and the ground at the same time. Land with both feet together and shuffle with your feet a few inches at a time, making sure to never break contact with the ground or cause separation between your feet.
  • Once you’re off the tractor, do not go back until your local electric co-op disconnects the power line.
equipment clearance

Safety is the first consideration on any job at FreeState Electric Cooperative. It’s probably top of mind for construction crews and contractors when putting up new structures on farms too. One often-overlooked safety consideration is the power line clearance required for grain bins.

Anyone constructing new buildings on their property should consider the proper clearance required for them. If someone is unsure how much clearance is enough, they should call us to discuss their project. If the new structure requires electricity, we’ll likely be involved anyway.

An extremely dangerous situation for line crews and farm personnel alike is created when proper clearance isn’t given for power lines near grain bins. This is because of the portable augers and dump trucks that are often used to move grain. The best way to avoid problems is to put bins a safe distance from any overhead power lines.

The National Electrical Safety Code sets minimum clearances for high-voltage lines (over 600 volts) near grain bins. Vertical clearances depend on the height of the bin and the distance from the side of the bin, as shown below. This illustration refers to the loading side of a grain bin. An area where portable augers will not be present can be considered a Non-Loading Side. In addition, power lines must be at least 18 feet above the tops of new grain bins. Contact FreeState at 1-800-794-1989 to help determine the exact distance your facilities need to be in order to be in compliance.

Bin Clearance
IAEC_GrainBin_PT_2017_4C_D35A9B5AC7691.pdf
Irrigation Clearance
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Contact Info

McLouth Office
507 N. Union
PO Box 70
McLouth, KS 66054

Topeka Office
1100 SW Auburn Rd. 
Topeka, KS 66615

Toll-Free:800-794-1989

EMAIL US!

 

About Us

With 14,974 members and 20,551 service points FreeState Electric Cooperative is the largest rural electric cooperative in Eastern Kansas and the fifth largest rural electric cooperative in the state of Kansas. FreeState serves nine Kansas counties and provides distribution infrastructure to Fort Leavenworth. 

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©2023 FreeState Electric Cooperative. All Rights Reserved.

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Board of Trustees
    • Cooperative Leadership
    • Powering Fort Leavenworth
    • Cooperative Transparency
    • About Touchstone Energy
  • Contact Us
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Media Inquiries
    • Submit Feedback
    • New Construction
    • Ask Matt
    • What is my district?
  • Member Services
    • Apply for Service
    • Payment Options
      • Understanding Your Bill
      • Payment Assistance
      • Pay Cash
      • Pay Now!
    • Capital Credits
    • Your Service
      • Security Options
      • Tree-Trimming
      • High Bill Concern
    • Member Programs
      • 101 Ways To Save
      • Attic Report Card
      • Medical Necessity Notification
      • Time of Use
    • Charges and Fees
    • Member Guide
    • Rebates
  • Outage Center
    • Outage Map
    • Preparing For Planned Outages
    • Social Feeds
    • Storm Updates
  • Communications
    • Connect With Us!
    • Energy Solutions Articles
    • Kansas Country Living
    • The Signal
  • Community Development
    • Co-op's Vote
    • CoBank Sharing Success
    • Local Sponsorships
    • Operation Round-Up
    • Youth Programs
    • FreeState Business Directory
  • Safety
    • Agriculture Safety
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Generator Safety
    • Meter Access
    • Power Line Safety
    • Prepare for Winter Outages
    • Safety Checklist
    • Safety Demonstrations
    • Ten Tips To Avoid Scams
  • Co-op FAQ
    • Ask FreeState
  • SmartHub Mobile
    • Using SmartHub
  • Annual Meeting
    • 2023 Candidate Videos
    • 2023 Trustee Candidates
    • Annual Report
    • Voting for Trustees
  • Crew at the Zoo
  • ESC Adjustment
  • Solar/EVs
    • All About EVs
    • Renewable Energy
    • Register Your Ride