Farming equipment out in a field near a low voltage power line

Our Programs

Watch the Wires

Watch the Wires is a power line safety campaign developed by Minnkota Power Cooperative and its member cooperatives in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. The objective of the campaign is to help reduce the number of public incidents involving electric infrastructure in Minnkota’s territory, with a focus on those in the agriculture sector.

Sticker design for what to do if you hit a power line or pole

As farm equipment gets larger and new automation technology is added to workflows, the number of line contacts in our region has grown exponentially. In five years alone, public transmission line incidents increased by more than 100% in Minnkota’s region.

With Watch the Wires, the cooperative and its partners hope to reduce:

Overhead line contacts
Pole strikes
Guy wire clipping
Underground line contacts (digging)

Our Watch the Wires safety kit includes:

Safety briefing documents
Wallet contact cards
Safety procedure stickers
Window clings
Magnets
Phone pouches
Can koozies
Notepads
OPTIONAL ADDITION: Field/approach signs

Request your free kits by emailing Kaylee Cusack at kcusack@minnkota.com. Large or special requests may be subject to an additional fee. (Shipping beginning Oct. 1, 2025)

Print material downloads

Safety briefing sheet

Wallet card

Watch the Wires Safety Briefing

The following is a safety checklist that farmers, ranchers, contractors and more can use with their teams to ensure electrical safety is top of mind when working with large equipment.

Aerial view of farm equipment in a large green field

A man with his arms crossed exiting his farm equipment

Review your work route

Where is the electric infrastructure (overhead and underground)?
Have I taken this route recently?
Could line slack have changed with the weather?
Has 8-1-1 been called if digging is in the workplan?

Assess size of work equipment

Could raising the box contact wires?
Could extending equipment arms contact wires?
Are antennas high enough to contact wires?
Could digging equipment reach underground wires?
Is this equipment larger than I’m used to?
Am I remembering to retract equipment before moving?

Know how close is too close

Am I maintaining a 10-foot clearance between my equipment and power lines/poles?
Is someone available to spot me in areas that are difficult to determine?
Could an autosteer function bring me too close to wires?

Understand what to do in case of contact

You see a downed wire/pole
Stay at least 35 feet away.
Call 9-1-1 or your local utility electric co-op to report it.
You clipped a wire/pole but are no longer in contact
Stay at least 35 feet away.
Call 9-1-1 or your local utility electric co-op to report it.
You hit a wire/pole and are still in contact
STAY IN THE CAB/VEHICLE – the ground could be energized.
Call 9-1-1 or your local utility electric co-op for immediate response.
Warn others to stay away from the area.
Wait for utility responders and don’t exit until you’re told it’s safe.
You hit a wire/pole, are still in contact, and there is smoke or fire
Cross your arms tightly across your chest.
Open the door and jump out with your feet tightly together.
DO NOT touch the ground and vehicle at the same time.
Shuffle or bunny hop far away. Do not let your feet come apart.
Call 9-1-1.