Pepco : Atlantic City Electric Promoting Power Line Safety Awareness

MAYS LANDING, N.J. (June 24, 2016) - As part of National Safety Month and its ongoing efforts to promote electrical safety, Atlantic City Electric is reminding customers about the dangers of working around overhead power lines.

Outdoor home improvement projects and summer activities may bring customers closer to overhead powerlines.

'Residents working near electrical equipment can be dangerous, so we remind our customers to be aware of overhead lines this month and year round when working or playing outdoors' said Vince Maione, Atlantic City Electric region president. 'We place a strong emphasis on reliability, but the safety of our customers remains a constant area of focus for our company.'

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there are nearly 400 electrocutions in the United States each year.

• 8 percent of consumer product-related electrocutions each year are attributed to electrical accidents with power drills, saws, sanders, hedge trimmers and other electric power tools.
• 9 percent of consumer product-related electrocutions each year are caused by accidents involving the use of lawn and garden equipment and ladders, which come into contact with overhead power lines.

Atlantic City Electric reminds customers that safety is paramount and when working on home improvement projects or enjoying water sports and activities, to consider the following safety tips:

• Before digging for any project, dial 811 to arrange for any utility lines to be marked.
• Keep ladders and other tools at least 10 feet from overhead power lines.
• Do not climb or trim trees near power lines.
• Keep electric tools and appliances away from wet surfaces including pools and patios.
• Always maintain a distance of at least 10 feet between your water craft and nearby power lines (both underground and overhead).
• Don't allow yourself or anyone else to swim near docks. Avoid entering the water when launching or loading your boat.
• Have your water craft's electrical system inspected and checked for safety upgrades by a certified marine electrician regularly.
• Have Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) installed on your boat and test them once a month.

Customers are asked to please report any outages and to stay away from any downed wires.​ To report outages and/or downed wires, call 1-800-833-7476, follow the prompts, and please ask for a call back to confirm that power has been restored. Outages also may be reported through atlanticcityelectric.com or through the company's mobile app.

For more information about Atlantic City Electric, visit atlanticcityelectric.com. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/atlanticcityelectric and on Twitter at twitter.com/acelecconnect. Our mobile app is available at atlanticcityelectric.com/mobileapp.