A wireless sensor system for detecting electrical power lines in proximity to equipment includes a base station mounted in proximity to an operator of the equipment and a wireless sensor. The wireless sensor detects the presence of power lines by sensing an electrical field generated by the power lines and includes an accelerometer which senses motion of the equipment. The wireless sensor communicates data to the base station. The base station presents at least one alarm to the operator when the wireless sensor detects an electrical field with a magnitude which exceeds a selectable threshold and silences the least one alarm if no motion above a predetermined threshold is sensed for a predetermined period of time.