Today marks the first day of spring, and Cleco encourages customers to be aware of their surroundings and stay away from overhead and buried power lines when doing yard work.

“Taking time to locate power lines may be the most important task on your to-do list,” said Maile Murray, director of environmental, health and safety at Cleco. “Spring can be a busy time for many, but it also can be a dangerous time for those who do not locate power lines before working in their yards or making repairs to their homes.”

Cleco offers the following spring electrical safety tips:
• Call 811 before digging to ensure no contact is made with buried power lines.
• Keep power cords and electrical equipment away from wet areas.
• Inspect all electrical power tools for damage.
• Keep all ladders at least 10 feet away from power lines.
• Keep an eye on children playing outdoors. Don’t climb trees near power lines. When flying kites, be sure to fly them in open areas and away from power lines. Electricity can travel down the string of a kite and cause injuries.
• Power lines may be hidden by foliage. Contact Cleco at 1-800-622-6537 with concerns about tree limbs growing into overhead power lines.