Street Lighting & Traffic Signal Crews

Street light and signal crews work in the road, on poles and in cabinets, often at night, with traffic at their elbows. They deal with electricity, heights and heavy equipment, with little shelter from vehicles.

• Electricians
• Municipal Crews
• Contractors

Hazards

• Traffic: being struck by vehicles, especially at night and on high-speed roads. See Traffic Control Crews and Work Zones.
• Electric shock and arc flash: street light circuits may be 120/240 or 480 volts or higher series circuits. Signals and cabinets have live parts. See Arc Flash.
• Overhead power lines: poles and bucket trucks may be near lines. See Overhead Power Lines.
• Falls and equipment hazards: bucket trucks, poles and ladders. See Bucket Trucks.
• Digging and underground utilities when setting pole foundations and conduit. See Call 811.
• Heavy lifting and pole handling with cranes and augers.
• Weather, dogs and animals, hostile members of the public.

Safe practices

• Set up a temporary traffic control plan with signs, cones, arrow boards and truck-mounted attenuators where needed. Wear high-visibility Class 3 clothing at night. See Truck-Mounted Attenuators.
• De-energize and lock out circuits before work, then test for voltage. Treat cabinets as live until verified. See Lockout/Tagout and Absence of Voltage Testing.
• Do not assume a street light circuit is off because the lamps are off in daytime; timers and photocells can switch it on.
• Use insulated tools and gloves, and arc-rated clothing where needed.
• Use bucket truck outriggers and fall protection in the basket. Keep minimum approach distances from lines.
• Test the pole condition and base before climbing or working from the pole; rotted poles and bases can fail.
• Use a spotter when backing trucks and working near the lane.

Checklist

• Traffic control is in place before work starts
• Circuits are isolated, locked out and tested
• Utilities are located before digging
• Fall protection and outriggers are in use
• Everyone has a high-visibility vest and knows the emergency plan

Last updated: October 8, 2026