Outdoor Safety

Additional Resources

Fruit-Picking Safety

Hawaii's year round temperate climate is ideal for growing fruit, and Hawaiian Electric reminds customers to use extreme caution when picking fruit near overhead power lines. To avoid a potentially tragic accident, remember these safety tips:

  • Always look up and around for power lines before starting any harvesting or trimming activity. If any part of the tree is touching overhead power lines, the tree can become energized and you should not touch the tree.
  • Use the 10-foot-rule: always keep your body and any ladders, tools or other implements at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines.
  • Don't use ladders or fruit pickers near power lines and keep any type of ladders, fruit pickers, poles or other tools at least ten feet away from the lines.
  • Never trim trees that have power lines going through them or touch any tree limb that may fall into a power line. It is strongly recommended that a qualified arborist be used to trim and maintain your trees, especially trees near power lines.
  • If a person comes in contact with a power line, assume the line is energized and dangerous. Do not attempt to free the person from the power line. Stay clear and warn others to keep away. Call 911 immediately for emergency help.
  • If you see any object caught in a power line, assume the line is energized and do not attempt to free it yourself. Call Hawaiian Electric's Trouble Line at one of the following or call 911 in an emergency.
  • Read our Fruit-Picking Safety Tips flyer (PDF).