What is the minimum safe distance for voltages between 132kV and 330kV?

• A. 3m
• B. 6m
• C. 4m
• D. 8m

Answer: (B)

Keeping people and equipment safe around high-voltage lines comes down to preventing arcing. The bigger the voltage, the larger the air gap needed to stop an electrical arc from jumping between the line and anything nearby. For voltages in the range of 132 kV up to 330 kV, the minimum safe distance is six meters. This buffer reduces the chance that movement of the forklift or its load, or a gust of wind, could bring any part of the vehicle within an unsafe gap of the live conductor. If you can’t maintain that six-meter clearance, you must stop and either de-energize the line or use a different method to work that keeps you farther away, with appropriate controls in place.