Electric utility poles aren’t exactly eye-catching and it may seem harmless to gussy up the one in your yard with a flag or other decoration but doing so can cause serious harm to our linemen. Although our crews often work out of buckets it is still often necessary for them to climb poles to restore power; having to remove items attached to poles or covering tag numbers slows down their efforts. It can also pose a danger to them as it only takes a pinhole tear in their rubber gloves for electricity to pass through and burn, or electrocute, them.

That is why attachments of any kind are prohibited on poles owned by Berkeley Electric Cooperative - identifiable by bright yellow vertical tags. These attachments include but are not limited to, member-owned cameras, lights, birdhouses, flower trellises, flags, deer stands, and signs of any kind. Any such attachment may be removed without notification or compensation if the item is damaged.

By respecting utility poles, you can help keep our employees safe and your power on. We appreciate everyone’s help with this very important matter.