Editing Utility pole (section)

==Markings==

===Pole brandings===
[[File:UK-BT-telegraph-post.png|right|thumb|Markings on a BT post]]

[[British Telecom]] posts are usually marked with the following information:{{citation needed|date=November 2010}}

{{Incomplete list|date=August 2008}}
* 'BT' – to mark it as a [[British Telecom]] UK Pole (This can also be PO (Post Office) or GPO (General Post Office) depending on the age of the pole)
* a horizontal line marking 3 metres from the bottom of the pole
* the pole length, typically 8 to 10 metres,<ref>David Chambers, [https://www.thinksmallcell.com/Metrocells/every-telegraph-pole-across-uk-now-a-potential-outdoor-small-cell-site.html "Every telegraph pole across UK now a potential outdoor small cell site"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123110726/https://www.thinksmallcell.com/Metrocells/every-telegraph-pole-across-uk-now-a-potential-outdoor-small-cell-site.html |date=2022-01-23 }}, ''ThinkSmallCell'', 23 October 2014.</ref> and size.  9L is a 9 metres long, light pole, other letters used are 'M' (Medium) and 'S' (Stout).
* the year of treatment and therefore generally the year of installation (e.g. the pole in the picture was treated in 2003)
* the batch and type of wood used
* A date of the last official inspection
* An alphanumeric designation e.g. DP 242 where DP is an initialism of Distribution Point
* If relevant, a red D plate meaning 'Dangerous' and indicating that the pole was structurally unsafe to climb or due to its proximity to other hazards<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.britishtelephones.com/gpo/pole.htm|title=GPO / British Telecom Telephone poles|date=2011-10-29|website=www.britishtelephones.com|access-date=2016-11-27|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424132211/http://www.britishtelephones.com/gpo/pole.htm|archive-date=2017-04-24}}</ref>

The date on the pole is applied by the manufacturer and refers to the date the pole was "preserved" (treated to withstand the elements).
[[Image:Pole Brand Salisbury MD.jpg|left|thumb|Brandings on a pole in [[Salisbury, Maryland]], United States]]

In the United States, utility poles are marked with information concerning the manufacturer, pole height, ANSI strength class, wood species, original preservative, and year manufactured<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pmcpole.com/cms/AWPAPoleBrands.pdf|title=PMCPOLE.COM|website=www.pmcpole.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114191301/http://www.pmcpole.com/cms/AWPAPoleBrands.pdf|archive-date=2009-01-14}}</ref> (vintage) in accordance with ANSI standard O5.1.2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ansi.org/|title=ANSI-American National Standards Institute|website=www.ansi.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828024250/http://www.ansi.org./|archive-date=2008-08-28}}</ref> This is called branding, as it is usually burned into the surface; the resulting mark is sometimes called the "birth mark". Although the position of the brand is determined by ANSI specification, it is essentially just below "eye level" after installation. A rule of thumb for understanding a pole's brand is the manufacturer's name or logo at the top with a two-digit date beneath (sometimes preceded by a month).

Below the date is a two-character wood species abbreviation and one- to three-character preservative. Some wood species may be marked "SP" for southern pine, "WC" for western cedar, or "DF" for Douglas fir. Common preservative abbreviations are "C" for [[creosote]], "P" for [[pentachlorophenol]], and "SK" for [[chromated copper arsenate]] (originally referred to salts type K). The next line of the brand is usually the pole's ANSI class, used to determine maximum load; this number ranges from 10 to H6 with a smaller number meaning higher strength. The pole's height (from butt to top) in 5-foot increments is usually to the right of the class separated by a hyphen, although it is not uncommon for older brands to have the height on a separate line. The pole brand is sometimes an aluminum tag nailed in place.

Before the practice of branding, many utilities would set a 2- to 4-digit [[Datenail|date nail]] into the pole upon installation. The use of date nails went out of favor during World War II due to war shortages but is still used by a few utilities. These nails are considered valuable to collectors, with older dates being more valuable, and unique markings such as the utilities' name also increasing the value. However, regardless of the value to collectors, all attachments on a utility pole are the property of the utility company, and unauthorized removal is a misdemeanor or felony.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN&sectionNum=591.|title=Malicious Injuries to Railroad Bridges, Highways, Bridges, and Telegraphs|website=leginfo.legislature.ca.gov|access-date=2019-10-11}}</ref> <sup>(California state law cited as example)</sup>

===Coordinates on pole tags===

A practice in some areas is to place poles on coordinates upon a grid. The pole at right is a [[Delmarva Power]] pole located in a rural area of the state of [[Maryland]] in the United States. The lower two tags are the "X" and "Y" coordinates along said grid. Just as in a [[Cartesian coordinate system|coordinate plane]] used in geometry, X increases as one travels east and Y increases as one travels north. The upper two tags are specific to the sub transmission section of the pole; the first refers to the route number, the second to the specific pole along the route.

However, not all power lines follow the road. In the British region of [[East Anglia]], [[EDF Energy]] Networks often add the [[Ordnance Survey]] Grid Reference coordinates of the pole or substation to the name sign.

In some areas, utility pole name plates may provide valuable coordinate information: a poor man's [[GPS]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Taiwan_Power_Company_grid|title=Taiwan Power Company grid – OSGeo|website=wiki.osgeo.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211080807/http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Taiwan_Power_Company_grid|archive-date=2008-12-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://jidanni.org/geo/taipower/index.html|title=Understanding coordinates on utility pole numbers|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927230026/http://jidanni.org/geo/taipower/index.html|archive-date=2007-09-27}} A [[Taiwan Power Company]] example; [[:zh:電力座標]]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.zoklet.net/totse/en/technology/science_technology/readpole.html|title= How to read those little metal plates on Hydro pol|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130605221139/http://www.zoklet.net/totse/en/technology/science_technology/readpole.html|archive-date= 2013-06-05}} A [[British Columbia]], Canada example;</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px"y>
File:Pole Tag Crisfield MD USA.jpg|The tags on a [[Delmarva Power]] subtransmission pole located in [[Crisfield, Maryland]], United States. The faded tag reads "733"
File:Newpole2.jpg|A utility pole replacement in Saugus, Massachusetts, United States 
File:Utility pole tags.jpg|Tag and marking on the bottom of a wooden utility pole before it is installed
</gallery>