The return of spring means a return of election signs, yard sale posters and announcements of various public events. Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. reminds area residents that posting signs on power poles is both unsafe and illegal.

It's unsafe because PP&L workers may have to climb poles to repair power lines and electrical equipment. Nails, tacks or staples driven into a pole can injure a climber, or tear the insulated equipment they use for protection from electric shock.

Signs -- whether posted with metal fasteners, tape or string - - also may cover utility reference markings, which PP&L workers would use to identify the source of problems if a power outage occurs.

Pennsylvania state law prohibits the use of nails, tacks or any metal or hard substance on utility poles. In addition, many local ordinances prohibit the fastening of signs to utility poles in any fashion.

PP&L serves 1.2 million customers in 29 counties of eastern and central Pennsylvania.