Overhead wires must be considered energized at all times except?

• A. When it is known to be de-energized
• B. When no one is nearby
• C. When the line is in daylight
• D. When it is hot outside

Answer: (A)

Overhead wires should be treated as energized unless you can verifiably prove they are de-energized. The essential safety rule is to assume live electrical condition until proper steps show otherwise. The only acceptable exception is when the line has been correctly de-energized, isolated, and tested for absence of voltage with the right equipment and procedures. Daylight, whether anyone is nearby, or warm weather do not change the electrical state and cannot justify working on or near a live conductor. So the proper approach is to follow lockout/tagout procedures, physically isolate the line, and test for absence of voltage before proceeding; only then can you treat the line as de-energized.