/content/fplgp/us/en/safety.html

We are undergoing system maintenance tonight until midnight. You may see a different experience with certain applications. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Notify us at 1-800-4OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243), your local emergency agency, or call 911 to report the location of any downed lines.

Live, work and play safely around electricity 

It's easy to take electricity for granted, like air and water. But it is not the same at all. It is a tremendous force we generate and control in wires and equipment.

As long as electricity is isolated, we can use it safely. But when the force of electricity is loosed, terrible accidents can happen. Knowing a few simple principles can save you from injury or death.

  • You conduct electricity, just like water, metals and materials made from hydrocarbons.
  • Electricity travels to the ground the easiest way it can — don’t let it travel through you. 
  • Electricity moves instantaneously; there is no time to react. 
  • Electricity anywhere can threaten your life, but downed wires are especially dangerous. They are not insulated. If charged, the electricity can move through anything nearby. 
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Tips for keeping safe

  • Basic rules about power line safety
  • A quick guide to common household hazards
  • A primer on using power tools safely
  • What you need to know when working near power lines
  • How to avoid overloading circuits
  • Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)
  • Prevent electrical fires from happening, but be prepared if they do

Trees and Rights-of-Way

Safely maintaining the thousands of miles of power distribution lines on our grid is a top priority for us. We aim to keep easements safe, clear and free of unsightly clutter or debris through our maintenance and right-of-way inspection programs.

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Overhead line safety

One of the most potentially hazardous electrical situations in industrial plants and on construction sites is accidental contact with overhead or underground wiring. Protection from contact with overhead wiring is provided best by isolation, or distance. The covering on some overhead lines is weatherproofing; it is not intended to provide insulated protection from contact. This plastic coating may become brittle, making it easy to crack and fall off.

Operators of equipment such as the following should be especially conscious of overhead wiring.

  • Backhoes
  • Dump trucks
  • Bucket trucks
  • Concrete pumpers 
  • Booms and cranes

The hazard of contact is also posed to workers on scaffolding or those handling or moving any type of long tools or equipment, like sections of metal pipe.

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Call before you dig

Before you begin any work, including construction, within 10 feet of an overhead electrical line carrying more than 750 volts, you should check your state laws, regulations and guidelines, and federal standards.

The Florida Underground Facilities Damage Prevention and Safety Act requires anyone engaged in any type of excavation or demolition to provide advance notice to owners of underground facilities (electrical service, telephone, television cable, water, etc.) before commencing work.

The purpose of this notification is to allow time for the owners of the underground facilities to locate and mark locations of their lines on the excavation site. Failure to comply with the Florida Underground Facilities Damage Prevention and Safety Act can result in civil penalties and other action.

Notice must be given at least two full business days (the day the ticket is called in does not count towards the two full business day requirement, and weekend days and holidays are not considered a business day) but not more than 5 days prior to beginning the work. Additionally, notification should be limited to the amount of work that can be completed in 10 working days.

Notification to FPL can be made by contacting the Sunshine 811 notification center at (800) 432-4770.

Operators at Sunshine 811 require specific information about the excavation site in order to properly notify all of its member utilities. Work location processing is very easy if the caller is prepared to answer all questions.

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  • Information about each excavation site
  • Responsibilities of the excavator
  • About Sunshine 811

For specific information regarding the "Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act,” please refer to Chapter 556 of the Florida Statutes.

Spot scams

Scammers target FPL's residential and business customers and are known to attempt a variety of scams, including posing as a FPL employee going door-to-door, over the phone and online. Scammers often threaten disconnection unless immediate payment is made via phone or in person.

Make sure you and your loved ones know the key signs of scams and how to keep from being targeted.

Learn More

Online security

At FPL, the safety and security of our customers and our customers’ personal and financial information are our highest priorities. 

Protecting your information

FPL protects and secures your personal and financial information using industry standard safeguards like firewalls and secure socket layers (SSL) to encrypt and protect sensitive transmissions.

When you arrive at the FPL website, you will see https in the web address for the site. The “s” at the end of https means the site has security added to it. Although no security system is fail safe, we strive to protect your information from loss, misuse, alteration or destruction.

If you have reason for concern or suspect a problem, please call FPL immediately to verify ID at (800) 225-5797.