# Utility workers



## Guest (Jan 31, 2012)

Hi everyone, first off thank you for what you do.
I was wondering if anyone here could possibly tell me if there is a Mass law that gives utility workers the right to enter private property in order to conduct thier job. i.e. electrical worker working on pole pulls into driveway.
I thought there was however I have been told that if the homeowner can have them charged with trespassing. So I thought I would ask here.


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## Rock (Mar 20, 2005)

There's more to this question. Why would you want to have them charged with anything? Was your property damaged? Did they leave trash in your yard? Were they swearing around your children, wife, girlfriend or boyfriend? Or do you simply not want that utility in YOUR neighboorhood?


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## CJIS (Mar 12, 2005)

This is an all dependent situation.

I do not know of any specific law but as I understand it.

If the Utility company has a deeded easement on your property you are out of luck. If there is a wire hanging on on your property (a drop) or a leaking gas, or water service and it poses as Public safety risk you are out of luck. In times of a declared disaster or emergency dependent on this situation you are out of luck. 

Tree trimming for utility lines is considered part of the utility company easement. You are out of luck with them too. As long as the worker is performing duties related to his\her job there is not much you can do about it. Now if they are roaming around your backyard or somewhere there is no easement or reason for them too then they could be considered trespassing.

Most of the time if major maintance and or tree trimming is to be done the company will contact the homeowner.


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2012)

No nothing like that, actually I saw this happen the other day at a house in my neighbor hood. The electric co truck pulled into driveway to fix something, I guess, and the home owner came out and started yelling that he would have them all arrested. I just thought there might have been a law or something that allowed them to be on the property. I know the people who read the meters can be there. I personally would have cut his power and left it off then. They moved out of his driveway and did the work from the street. Just seemed odd that someone would complain when they were there to help.


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## niteowl1970 (Jul 7, 2009)

Is the phone guy nailing your wife ???


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## CJIS (Mar 12, 2005)

annonymouse said:


> No nothing like that, actually I saw this happen the other day at a house in my neighbor hood. The electric co truck pulled into driveway to fix something, I guess, and the home owner came out and started yelling that he would have them all arrested. I just thought there might have been a law or something that allowed them to be on the property. I know the people who read the meters can be there. I personally would have cut his power and left it off then. They moved out of his driveway and did the work from the street. Just seemed odd that someone would complain when they were there to help.


Yeah some people are dinks like that. Come to help and all the do is whine and complain. I was working a detail in front of some guys house (they were hooking up gas or water or something.) and the guy had a driveway wide enough you could pull in 4 cars at the same time. Well I parked at the very end which would have been the easement (mind you) and the home owner came out and started to go ballistic over it until he found out it was my truck.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

I would think just as a common courtesy they wouldn't pull into someone's driveway and park there if they didn't have to. But since common courtesy is rare these days, maybe the homeowner could have just taken a few more meds and asked them nicely to move. In any event if your neighborhood is anything like mine, it practically takes an act of congress to get anyone (city or utility co) out to maintain anything that wasn't brought down by an act of God or pole plowing drunk so just be grateful they're working on it before it becomes a problem.


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2012)

I think they pulled in there because it was on a corner on a hill. It seemed safer when they were in the driveway. They did have an officer with them, probably a good thing because he was pissed. Well thank you for the responses and stay safe out there.


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

He cant answer....they shut his power off for non payment and screaming at the utility worker


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