Outdoor safety

We want our customers to be safe when spending time outdoors. Whether you’re playing with your kids, walking your pets, or just exploring the city, be aware of the electrical equipment around you. This section lists tips and information to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Understanding winter safety risks: Spending time outdoors in the winter is a fantastic part of life in Toronto. With severe winter conditions bringing melting snow and wet, salted sidewalks, it's more important than ever to be aware of potential outdoor electrical hazards. The following section provides vital information and practical tips to keep you and your loved ones safe throughout the season, no matter what the weather throws our way.

Contact voltage

Contact voltage refers to electricity that may be present on the surface of outdoor structures. This includes common city infrastructure like:

• Streetlighting equipment
• Utility poles
• Transformer boxes
• Handwells (circular utility covers, usually located three to four feet from utility poles)

Safety reminder: Contact voltage poses a serious electrical shock hazard to both people and animals.

Several factors contribute to the occurrence of contact voltage, including aging infrastructure, equipment damage, tampering or changes in the underground electrical setup due to construction. Severe winter conditions can contribute to this risk. While these incidents are extremely rare, in a city as large as Toronto, where the electricity infrastructure has been built over many decades and snowy and icy conditions are typical in winter months, it’s important to be aware of the possible risk.

Contact voltage risks in winter

Winter in Toronto brings specific challenges that can increase outdoor electrical safety risks. Melting snow combined with wet and salted sidewalks creates conditions that can heighten the risk of contact voltage. While incidents are rare, recent record snowfalls and heavy salting have led to a small, but notable, increase in reported suspected contact voltage events involving pets in the downtown area. Knowing what to look for and what to do is crucial for safe and enjoyable winter adventures.

Practical tips for staying safe

Out of an abundance of caution, we advise Toronto residents and pet owners to be aware of this potential issue and take simple steps to minimize risk.

Essential safety actions

• Stay alert: Always be aware of your surroundings when walking — watch out for exposed wiring, downed powerlines and active utility work areas
• Avoid direct contact: Do not touch electrical equipment and metal structures, such as streetlights, utility poles and transformer boxes
• Mind handwells: Walk around handwells (circular utility covers), which are typically found a few feet from utility poles
• Protect your pets: Keep your pet on a leash and consider using waterproof rubber pet booties when walking on wet and salted roads and sidewalks (ensure booties are in good repair)

What to do if you suspect an electrical hazard (no contact)

If you are outdoors and notice anything unusual, suspect an electrical issue, or see exposed wiring or downed powerlines:

• Stay clear of the area
• Report it immediately to Toronto Hydro by calling 416-542-8000 (press 1). Reporting suspected hazards as soon as they're noticed allows our crews to respond quickly

What to do if you or your pet experiences an electrical shock

• For human electrical shock: Call 911 immediately. Toronto Emergency Services are trained to deal with electric shock and will notify Toronto Hydro to make the equipment safe
• For pet electrical shock (contact voltage): Report it to Toronto Hydro directly at 416-542-8000 (press 1). If your pet is in immediate distress or requires urgent veterinary care, call 911 for guidance

Crew and road safety

Our crews work day and night to keep electricity flowing to your home and business. For everyone’s safety, please be patient and cautious while driving by our work zones.

Here are some road safety tips to remember when approaching a construction site:

• Slow down, pay attention and stay a safe distance away from work zones
• Follow all safety signage, even if workers aren’t present
• Make eye contact, whenever possible, with people operating equipment
• Avoid asking our crews questions, as electrical work can be very dangerous and requires their undivided attention
• Share the road and respect the cones. Whether you're on two wheels or four, make room for each other on the road. Cones mark safe distances from dangerous equipment to keep you and our crews safe
• Don’t run or play in construction areas

Cyclist information: Sometimes our crews require the use of sidewalks, bike lanes or roads to perform maintenance or emergency repairs. This type of work involves dangerous electrical equipment. We make every effort to minimize disruption and help ensure the safety of cyclists, including creating temporary bike lanes whenever possible.

Clearance safety

Property owners are required to maintain a certain amount of clearance around powerlines, hydro poles and electrical boxes within the boundaries of their property. When structural landscaping gets in the way, it can result in safety hazards and delays to repairs.

Keep these tips in mind to help our crews complete work safely and efficiently:

• Be mindful of where you're digging and never dig around a transformer box. Plant and build at least three metres away from the front of electrical boxes, and at least two metres away from all other sides
• Don't lay concrete, build fences or plant close to the base of a hydro pole. Our crews need at least one metre of clearance space to work around and climb the poles to do inspections, repairs and replacements
• Keep sheds, garages, trees and shrubs at least three metres away from overhead wires. If tree or shrub overgrowth occurs, prune and/or consult an arborist if necessary
• Ensure vault doors and grates are kept clear. Avoid piles of leaves and snow on or near Toronto Hydro equipment. Leaves can enter our vaults and create fire hazards, while snow can freeze, making access a challenge
• Salt your sidewalks and driveways. Our crews work all year round, in all weather conditions. When checking meters or performing inspections, they need safe and clear access to our equipment

Looking for more information? We have clearance guides available with tips and diagrams to help ensure customers and contractors maintain a safe distance from Toronto Hydro equipment.

Dig safety

Before starting any digging on your property, you must request a locate — it’s the law. Whether your project is big or small, locates can help prevent potential power outages, personal injury or even death.

To arrange a locate, submit a request through Ontario One Call’s web portal at least five business days before digging. The service is free and available 24/7.

To learn more about dig safety, visit Ontario One Call’s website.