{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-410.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-410.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-410.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-410.html"}],"law_id":72797,"edition_id":1,"section_id":72797,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-410","catch_line":"Temporary safety arrangements","history":"1989, c. 341; 1993, c. 284; 1995, c. 298; 1996, c. 267; 2003, c. 364.","full_text":"A\n\nWhen any person desires to carry on any work in closer proximity to any overhead high voltage line than permitted by this chapter, the person responsible for the work shall promptly notify the owner or operator of the high voltage line on a working day, or in emergency situations as soon as possible under the circumstances, in the manner prescribed in § 59.1-411. The work shall be performed only after satisfactory mutual arrangements have been negotiated between the owner or the operator of the lines or both and the person responsible for the work. The negotiations shall proceed promptly and in good faith with the goal of accommodating the requested work consistent with the owner’s or operator’s service needs and the duty to protect the public from the danger of overhead high voltage lines. The owner or operator of the lines shall initiate the agreed upon safety arrangements within five working days from the date of the request of the person responsible for the work. The owner and operator of the lines shall complete the work promptly and without interruption, consistent with the owner’s or operator’s service needs. Arrangements may include (i) placement of temporary mechanical barriers separating and preventing contact between material, equipment, or persons and overhead high voltage lines, (ii) temporary de-energization and grounding, (iii) temporary relocation or raising of the lines, or (iv) other such measures found to be appropriate in the judgment of the owner or operator of the lines. The person responsible for the work shall ensure that the temporary safety arrangements described in this subsection are completed prior to the commencement of any such work.B\n\nThe actual expense incurred by any owner or operator of overhead high voltage lines in taking precautionary measures as set out in subsection A of this section, including the wages of its workers involved in making safety arrangements, shall be paid by the person responsible for the work or a person subject to the following exceptions:1\n\nIn the case of property used for residential purposes, such actual expenses shall be limited to those in excess of $1,000;2\n\nWhenever any owner or operator of an overhead high voltage line has located its facilities within a public highway or street right-of-way and the work is performed by or for the Department of Transportation or a city, county or town, the actual expenses shall be the responsibility of the owner or operator of the overhead high voltage lines, unless the owner or operator can provide evidence of prior rights or there is a prior written agreement specifying cost responsibility; and3\n\nWhenever it is determined by the Department of Transportation or a city, county or town that the temporary safety arrangements are for the sole convenience of its contractor, the actual expense shall be the responsibility of the contractor.C\n\nWhen requested by a person, an owner or operator of a high voltage line shall provide within a reasonable period of time an estimate of the scope and cost of any required safety arrangements.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":262269,"text":"When any person desires to carry on any work in closer proximity to any overhead high voltage line than permitted by this chapter, the person responsible for the work shall promptly notify the owner or operator of the high voltage line on a working day, or in emergency situations as soon as possible under the circumstances, in the manner prescribed in § 59.1-411. The work shall be performed only after satisfactory mutual arrangements have been negotiated between the owner or the operator of the lines or both and the person responsible for the work. The negotiations shall proceed promptly and in good faith with the goal of accommodating the requested work consistent with the owner’s or operator’s service needs and the duty to protect the public from the danger of overhead high voltage lines. The owner or operator of the lines shall initiate the agreed upon safety arrangements within five working days from the date of the request of the person responsible for the work. The owner and operator of the lines shall complete the work promptly and without interruption, consistent with the owner’s or operator’s service needs. Arrangements may include (i) placement of temporary mechanical barriers separating and preventing contact between material, equipment, or persons and overhead high voltage lines, (ii) temporary de-energization and grounding, (iii) temporary relocation or raising of the lines, or (iv) other such measures found to be appropriate in the judgment of the owner or operator of the lines. The person responsible for the work shall ensure that the temporary safety arrangements described in this subsection are completed prior to the commencement of any such work.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":262270,"text":"The actual expense incurred by any owner or operator of overhead high voltage lines in taking precautionary measures as set out in subsection A of this section, including the wages of its workers involved in making safety arrangements, shall be paid by the person responsible for the work or a person subject to the following exceptions:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":262271,"text":"In the case of property used for residential purposes, such actual expenses shall be limited to those in excess of $1,000;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":262272,"text":"Whenever any owner or operator of an overhead high voltage line has located its facilities within a public highway or street right-of-way and the work is performed by or for the Department of Transportation or a city, county or town, the actual expenses shall be the responsibility of the owner or operator of the overhead high voltage lines, unless the owner or operator can provide evidence of prior rights or there is a prior written agreement specifying cost responsibility; and","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"B3"},"4":{"id":262273,"text":"Whenever it is determined by the Department of Transportation or a city, county or town that the temporary safety arrangements are for the sole convenience of its contractor, the actual expense shall be the responsibility of the contractor.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"B3","prefix_anchor":"B3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"C"},"5":{"id":262274,"text":"When requested by a person, an owner or operator of a high voltage line shall provide within a reasonable period of time an estimate of the scope and cost of any required safety arrangements.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14320,"edition_id":1,"name":"Overhead High Voltage Line Safety Act","identifier":"30","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:44","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:44","permalink":{"id":261301,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14320,"identifier":"30","token":"59.1\/30","url":"\/59.1\/30\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":72655,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-406","catch_line":"Scope","url":"\/59.1-406\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-406","metadata":false},{"id":64655,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-407","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/59.1-407\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-407","metadata":false},{"id":80439,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-408","catch_line":"Prohibited activities","url":"\/59.1-408\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-408","metadata":false},{"id":67199,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-409","catch_line":"Warning signs","url":"\/59.1-409\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-409","metadata":false},{"id":72797,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-410","catch_line":"Temporary safety arrangements","url":"\/59.1-410\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-410","metadata":false},{"id":70382,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-411","catch_line":"Notification","url":"\/59.1-411\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-411","metadata":false},{"id":83236,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-412","catch_line":"Enforcement of chapter","url":"\/59.1-412\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-412","metadata":false},{"id":55617,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-413","catch_line":"Exemptions","url":"\/59.1-413\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-413","metadata":false},{"id":68170,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-414","catch_line":"Application","url":"\/59.1-414\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-414","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":67199,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-409","catch_line":"Warning signs","url":"\/59.1-409\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-409","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":70382,"structure_id":14320,"section_number":"59.1-411","catch_line":"Notification","url":"\/59.1-411\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-411","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-410\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1989. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 341 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1989 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1993, chapter 284; in 1995, chapter 298<\/a>; in 1996, chapter 267<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 364<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":80439,"section_number":"59.1-408","catch_line":"Prohibited activities","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-408\/"},{"id":70382,"section_number":"59.1-411","catch_line":"Notification","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-411\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":70382,"section_number":"59.1-411","catch_line":"Notification","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-411\/"}],"permalink":{"id":261319,"object_type":"law","relational_id":72797,"identifier":"59.1-410","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-410","url":"\/59.1-410\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-410\/","token":"59.1\/30\/59.1-410","dublin_core":{"Title":"Temporary safety arrangements","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-410","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> When any person desires to carry on any work in closer proximity to any overhead high voltage line<\/span> than permitted by this chapter, the person responsible for the work<\/span> shall promptly notify the owner or operator of the high voltage line on a working day<\/span>, or in emergency situations as soon as possible under the circumstances, in the manner prescribed in § 59.1-411<\/a>. The work shall be performed only after satisfactory mutual arrangements have been negotiated between the owner or the operator of the lines or both and the person responsible for the work<\/span>. The negotiations shall proceed promptly and in good faith with the goal of accommodating the requested work consistent with the owner’s or operator’s service needs and the duty to protect the public from the danger of overhead high voltage lines<\/span>. The owner or operator of the lines shall initiate the agreed upon safety arrangements within five working days<\/span> from the date of the request of the person responsible for the work<\/span>. The owner and operator of the lines shall complete the work promptly and without interruption, consistent with the owner’s or operator’s service needs. Arrangements may include (i) placement of temporary mechanical barriers separating and preventing contact between material<\/span>, equipment, or persons<\/span> and overhead high voltage lines<\/span>, (ii) temporary de-energization and grounding, (iii) temporary relocation or raising of the lines, or (iv) other such measures found to be appropriate in the judgment<\/span> of the owner or operator of the lines. The person responsible for the work<\/span> shall ensure that the temporary safety arrangements described in this subsection are completed prior to the commencement of any such work. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The actual expense incurred by any owner or operator of overhead high voltage lines<\/span> in taking precautionary measures as set out in subsection A of this section, including the wages of its workers involved in making safety arrangements, shall be paid by the person responsible for the work<\/span> or a person subject to the following exceptions: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> In the case of property used for residential purposes, such actual expenses shall be limited to those in excess of $1,000; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Whenever any owner or operator of an overhead high voltage line<\/span> has located its facilities within a public highway or street right-of-way and the work is performed by or for the Department of Transportation or a city, county or town, the actual expenses shall be the responsibility of the owner or operator of the overhead high voltage lines<\/span>, unless the owner or operator can provide evidence<\/span> of prior rights or there is a prior written agreement specifying cost responsibility; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Whenever it is determined by the Department of Transportation or a city, county or town that the temporary safety arrangements are for the sole convenience of its contractor, the actual expense shall be the responsibility of the contractor. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> When requested by a person, an owner or operator of a high voltage line shall provide within a reasonable period of time an estimate of the scope and cost of any required safety arrangements. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nTEMPORARY SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS (\u00a7 59.1-410)\n\nA. When any person desires to carry on any work in closer proximity to any\noverhead high voltage line than permitted by this chapter, the person\nresponsible for the work shall promptly notify the owner or operator of the high\nvoltage line on a working day, or in emergency situations as soon as possible\nunder the circumstances, in the manner prescribed in § 59.1-411. The work\nshall be performed only after satisfactory mutual arrangements have been\nnegotiated between the owner or the operator of the lines or both and the person\nresponsible for the work. The negotiations shall proceed promptly and in good\nfaith with the goal of accommodating the requested work consistent with the\nowner’s or operator’s service needs and the duty to protect the\npublic from the danger of overhead high voltage lines. The owner or operator of\nthe lines shall initiate the agreed upon safety arrangements within five working\ndays from the date of the request of the person responsible for the work. The\nowner and operator of the lines shall complete the work promptly and without\ninterruption, consistent with the owner’s or operator’s service\nneeds. Arrangements may include (i) placement of temporary mechanical barriers\nseparating and preventing contact between material, equipment, or persons and\noverhead high voltage lines, (ii) temporary de-energization and grounding, (iii)\ntemporary relocation or raising of the lines, or (iv) other such measures found\nto be appropriate in the judgment of the owner or operator of the lines. The\nperson responsible for the work shall ensure that the temporary safety\narrangements described in this subsection are completed prior to the\ncommencement of any such work.\n\nB. The actual expense incurred by any owner or operator of overhead high voltage\nlines in taking precautionary measures as set out in subsection A of this\nsection, including the wages of its workers involved in making safety\narrangements, shall be paid by the person responsible for the work or a person\nsubject to the following exceptions:\n\n 1. In the case of property used for residential purposes, such actual expenses\n shall be limited to those in excess of $1,000;\n\n 2. Whenever any owner or operator of an overhead high voltage line has located\n its facilities within a public highway or street right-of-way and the work is\n performed by or for the Department of Transportation or a city, county or\n town, the actual expenses shall be the responsibility of the owner or operator\n of the overhead high voltage lines, unless the owner or operator can provide\n evidence of prior rights or there is a prior written agreement specifying cost\n responsibility; and\n\n 3. Whenever it is determined by the Department of Transportation or a city,\n county or town that the temporary safety arrangements are for the sole\n convenience of its contractor, the actual expense shall be the responsibility\n of the contractor.\n\nC. When requested by a person, an owner or operator of a high voltage line shall\nprovide within a reasonable period of time an estimate of the scope and cost of\nany required safety arrangements.\n\nHISTORY: 1989, c. 341; 1993, c. 284; 1995, c. 298; 1996, c. 267; 2003, c. 364.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}