Toronto Hydro Wins ESA Safety Award

October 5, 2016

Toronto Hydro has earned an Ontario Electrical Safety Award from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) in the Powerline Safety category, in recognition of a media event that demonstrated the safe way to react if powerlines land on your vehicle.

Shown in the photo, L-R: Marie France Lalonde, Minister of Government and Consumer Services, Brian Buchan, Director of Media, Communications and Municipal Stakeholder Relations, Toronto Hydro, and Brian Bentz, Chair, Electrical Safety Authority.

Since 2010, there have been more than 1,200 cases of vehicles colliding with hydro poles. During that same time, there were 413 instances of vehicles coming into contact with wires.

This is the second year in a row Toronto Hydro has won an ESA award. Educating customers on how to be safe around electrical equipment is one of Toronto Hydro’s top priorities. For the demonstration, the utility partnered with Toronto Fire Services to re-create a collision scene involving a car that hit a hydro pole. The demonstration included a smoking vehicle and a downed hydro pole with wires. It received positive media coverage and helped spread an important safety message.

The ESA awards are handed out each year to utilities across Ontario that have shown leadership and achievement in the promotion of electrical safety in Ontario.