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Electrical Safety at Home

When The Power’s Out Powerline Safety Call Before You Dig The Downside of DIY Electrical Meter Mast Damange Flooding in Your Home Safety Lessons for Families, Homeowners, and Kids Repair Responsibility Identifying Burlington Hydro Equipment on Your Property More resources

Home Outages & Safety Emergency & Safety Electrical Safety at Home

As a homeowner, you play an important role in keeping your household safe and supporting the reliability of our electrical system.

Simple actions, such as maintaining clear access to meters and promptly reporting hazards, can help prevent accidents and outages. Together, we can ensure safe, reliable power for every home in Burlington.

A man lights a match to ignite a candle on a table in a dimly lit room with other candles.

When The Power’s Out

When the lights go out, safety matters — take care, stay informed, and follow trusted advice until power is restored.

Find more outage safety tips
A person lying in bed at night reaches to plug a phone into a charger on a bedside table with a lamp.

What Causes Flickering Power?

When underground cable faults occur — often in the Spring or during wet or thawing conditions — they can cause brief flickers. Unlike with overhead cables, faults in underground cables aren’t immediately visible. That’s why we proactively monitor and maintain our network, using detailed fault tracking to identify and prioritize areas for repair.

Powerline Safety

Downed Powerlines

If you see a downed hydro pole, powerline, or tree branches touching powerlines, stay back.

These lines — and anything in contact with them — can be energized and deadly. Always treat them as live and report the hazard immediately to us at 1-877-310-4937.

A school bus is shown next to a power line, illustrating safe distance for electrical safety. Complex alt text to follow.
Always keep at least 10 metres (33 feet) away from any downed power lines or objects in contact with them — that’s roughly the length of a school bus. Maintaining this distance helps protect you from serious electrical shock.
A yellow car crashed into a powerline pole with wires down; safety instructions are displayed beside the scene. Complex alt text to follow.
If a powerline falls on your vehicle, assume it’s energized. Call 911 immediately. If you can drive away safely, do so. If not, stay inside until help arrives. If you must leave the vehicle, jump clear with both feet together and shuffle away at least 10 metres.

Stay Back and Stay Calm

If you’re first at an accident scene involving powerlines, do not approach. Keep at least 10 metres away and call 911. If you can, reassure the occupants to stay in the vehicle and warn others to keep back.

Get further insight into vehicle safety

Other Hazards

When severe weather strikes, fallen trees and downed wires can create life-threatening hazards.

Powerlines and other electrical equipment may remain energized even when damaged, posing a serious risk to anyone nearby. Always keep at least 10 metres away from downed wires or anything touching them, such as: trees, fences, or vehicles.

Report hazards immediately to Burlington Hydro at 1‑877‑310‑4937. Your safety is our top priority, and together we can keep our community safe.

Call Before You Dig

Planning to build a fence, plant a tree, or dig a garden? Ontario law requires you to contact Ontario One Call before you dig — no matter how small the project. This free service helps prevent damage to underground infrastructure and keeps you safe.

Call 1-800-400-2255 (available 24/7) or submit a request online. Be sure to contact them at least five business days in advance.

When to call before you dig:

  • Before drilling or augering
  • Before driving fence posts or stakes
  • Before planting trees or shrubs
  • Before installing signs or decks
  • Before any excavation near your property
Learn more about Ontario One Call
A person wearing work boots digs soil with a spade next to a metal edge outdoors.
An engineer in safety gear inspects electrical panels and uses a tablet for data entry at an industrial site.

The Downside of DIY Electrical

Electricity can be deadly.

Doing your own electrical work may seem simple, but if it’s not done to Ontario’s Electrical Safety Code, the risks include fire, serious injury — or worse. Never attempt repairs on your service panel, mast, or meter. Always hire a Licensed Electrical Contractor and ask to see their ESA/ECRA licence number.

Find a licensed electrical contractor

Meter Mast Damage

When your hydro service equipment is damaged, it’s important to know who handles the repairs. It could be Burlington Hydro or you, the customer.

If your hydro meter, service stack, or service line is damaged, do not attempt to fix it yourself. Always assume this equipment is live and extremely dangerous. Call Burlington Hydro immediately at 1-877-310-4937.

If there’s imminent danger or a downed power line, dial 9-1-1 right away.

Who Repairs What?

Burlington Hydro’s Responsibility

  • Service wire: We repair the wire running from the street to your home.
  • Connection point: We handle repairs where our service wire connects to your equipment.
  • Electric meter: We repair or replace your meter as needed.

Customer’s Responsibility

  • Standpipe or mast: Repairs to cables and hardware from the connection point down the side of your home must be completed by an ESA-certified electrician and approved by the Electrical Safety Authority before we can restore service.

Important: Burlington Hydro is not authorized to repair privately owned equipment. Always hire a qualified professional for your safety.

Find a licensed electrical contractor

Flooding in Your Home

Flooded basements and submerged areas may be electrified.

Here’s what you can do to stay safe:

Never enter a flooded basement unless you are certain the power has been disconnected.

If your basement is flooded and the power is still on, call Burlington Hydro at 800-310-4937 to have the power disconnected, or call 911 if you’re in danger.

Never unplug or disconnect an appliance if you must stand in water or on a damp floor to do so.

Appliances, outlets, switches, and breaker panels that have been submerged should only be used after inspection and cleaning by a qualified electrician. Contact a licensed electrical contractor through the Electrical Safety Authority.

Ensure all cords and generators remain safely out of water.

Safety Lessons for Families, Homeowners, and Kids

Round Transformers and Hydro Poles

It is important to avoid any contact or interference with round transformers and to instruct children to keep a safe distance from them. These units must remain unobstructed to prevent overheating; therefore, no planting should occur within three metres of the front and 1.5 metres of the sides and back. Additionally, hydro poles should not be climbed or used for recreational purposes.

On Your Ladder

Before using a ladder or high-reach equipment, always locate nearby powerlines. Carry ladders horizontally and check surroundings before extending or moving them. Even non-metal ladders can conduct electricity under certain conditions.

Driving by Burlington Hydro Crew

Please drive cautiously when approaching Burlington Hydro crews, especially during poor weather. Their safety depends on your attentiveness and care behind the wheel.

Danger Means Keep Out!

“Danger” and “High Voltage” signs are there to protect you. Always obey these warnings and keep a safe distance from marked areas and hydro equipment.

Water and Electricity

Water and electricity are a deadly combination. Never use electrical devices near water, and avoid flooded areas, especially basements. If your home floods, stay on high ground and do not touch outlets or electrical panels.

Outlets and Fuse Boxes

Never insert objects into outlets or touch them when wet. Leave fuse box inspections and electrical panel checks to adults or professionals. These areas should be treated with caution and respect.

Repair Responsibility

Storm damage can affect electrical equipment on your property.

Some equipment belongs to Burlington Hydro, while other components are your responsibility. Repairs must be completed before power can be safely restored.

Important: Never attempt to repair damaged electrical equipment yourself.

  • Always assume it’s live and dangerous. Report Burlington Hydro equipment damage: 1-877-310-4937.
  • If there’s imminent danger or a downed powerline: Call 9-1-1 immediately
Diagram showing underground electric service parts labelled as owned by customer or BHI near a house and a garden.
Diagram showing overhead utility service lines, with sections labelled as owned by customer and owned by BHI.

Overhead Services

  • Service wire from the street to your home
  • Connection point where our wire meets your equipment
  • Hydro meter (we own and maintain it)

Overhead Services

  • Underground cable from the street to your meter
  • Hydro meter

Overhead Services

  • Mast or standpipe attached to your home
  • Meter base and conduit entering the building
  • All wiring inside your home

Underground Service

  • Meter base and conduit
  • Internal wiring

Next Steps for Customers

Report damage to Burlington Hydro at 1-877-310-4937. Stay at least 10 metres (33 feet) away from damaged equipment.

Follow ESA guidelines for safe repairs after a storm.

Hire a licensed contractor and ensure ESA approval.

Once repairs are complete and approved, Burlington Hydro will restore your service promptly.

Need Help or Have Questions?

Contact our customer service team with location details, equipment number, and a photo if possible.

Identifying Burlington Hydro Equipment on Your Property

Padmounted Transformers

  • Residential: These green boxes step down high-voltage electricity to a level your home can use. One transformer can power up to 12 homes and is found wherever underground service exists. If you’re planning to landscape near one, be sure to keep space clear around it to ensure safe access for crews and reliable service for your community.
  • Commercial/Industrial: Commercial/industrial transformers handle three-phase high-voltage power, reducing it to levels suitable for businesses. They deliver 10–20 times more power than residential transformers and keep Burlington’s businesses running.

Padmounted Switching Cubicles

  • These may look like transformers, but these boxes act like large breaker panels. Inside are switches and fuses that control how electricity flows through Burlington’s grid. Switching cubicles keep power moving safely and efficiently across the city.

Distribution Vaults

  • Vaults house submersible transformers and other equipment underground. Because they’re smaller than padmounted units, some vaults need upgrades to meet modern demands like EV charging. Heavy storms can flood vaults, so replacing them with padmounted transformers is part of Burlington Hydro’s plan to build a climate-ready, resilient grid.

Cable Pedestals

  • These green boxes connect service cables to homes. Built from reinforced concrete, they’re strong enough for foot traffic but not for vehicles or heavy equipment. Please avoid driving over them to prevent damage and outages.

Poles and Guy Wire Anchors

  • Poles keep overhead wires and equipment safely above ground, while guy wires provide stability during storms. Look for yellow pole tags and if you spot an issue, use the number to help us locate and fix it quickly.
  • Not all utility equipment on your property belongs to Burlington Hydro. Gas meters, telecom lines, and water meters are managed by other providers. Burlington Hydro is responsible for electrical service up to the hydro meter, not the meter base or non-electric utilities. Knowing the difference helps keep everyone safe and ensures the right team handles the right job.
  • The simplest way to identify who owns the equipment is to look for labels. Burlington Hydro meters are normally marked “BHI.” Gas meters often show the provider’s logo, and water meters are managed by Halton Region.
  • Still unsure? Check your utility bills for provider names.

More resources

Visit the Electrical Safety Authority's website

Find a licensed electrical contractor