Vegetation Management Keeps DEC Employees Safe!

As a DEC member, you have the opportunity to help the Co-op provide reliable power to the people and places we serve, while keeping employees safe in the process. How? By ensuring you’re following DEC’s regulations on planting vegetation near and around our electrical equipment. Co-op rules prevent members from planting within ten feet in front of DEC equipment — such as transformers and switch gear boxes. Members also cannot plant within five feet on either side nor behind the equipment. Leaving that space free of vegetation ensures that crews can respond efficiently to outages without having to spend unnecessary time clearing a path to reach equipment. It also eliminates potential safety hazards that could arise if inappropriately placed vegetation were to compromise their protective gear, such as puncturing gloves or tearing clothing. If you notice plants, trees or flowers in your yard that do not comply with DEC’s regulations, the Co-op asks that members take safe steps to trim back or remove them. If uprooting is required, remember to call 811 before you dig near electrical equipment. DEC appreciates our members’ efforts to help us honor our commitment to reliability and — more importantly — safety.