IN BUSINESS

THE dangers of working near power lines for those in the agricultural industry across Halton are being highlighted in a bid to reduce the number of incidents that take place each year.

SP Energy Networks – which owns and maintains the power lines throughout the borough – has joined forces with the Energy Networks Association (ENA).

According to the latest research from ENA, more than 85% of those surveyed never worry about getting too close to an overhead power line.

An SP Energy Networks spokeswoman said the risk to farm workers is not only during harvest time but all year round.

Around 225 incidents are reported every year, when farm vehicles and machinery make contact with overhead lines, typically involving tipping trailers, lorry mounted cranes, combine harvesters and telehandlers.

The spokeswoman said not only does each incident have the potential to kill or seriously injure the workers involved, there are also financial costs in terms of damaged and destroyed equipment and lost time.

The Look Out Look Up! campaign is in response to the scale of incidents involving overhead power lines in farms and fields and encourages people to plan ahead to avoid contact and to know what to do if it is made.

A hard-hitting new film showing the potentially fatal consequences of working near the cables has been created to highlight the risks.

SP Energy Networks director Stephen Stewart said: “The dangers surrounding electricity can often be hidden or be at the back of mind in the agricultural industry, but the statistics shared today help to confirm the fact that they are very much present and should be front of mind.

“SP Energy Networks already does lots of work to raise awareness of working safely near power lines, particularly at agricultural shows across our operating area but the Look Out Look Up! cam- paign is a great opportunity to continue this great work and to raise awareness of the dangers to watch out for in Halton, how to stay safe around electricity and what to do if you do find yourself in an emergency situation.”

Data from the Health & Safety Executive reveals that in the last five years there were five deaths associated with power lines in the UK.

There were also 1,140 near-miss incidents – an average of more than four a week – involving machinery and equipment contacting overhead electric power lines where serious injury or death was a possibility.

Tips offered as part of the campaign include risk assessing by knowing where overhead power lines are as well as the height and reach of equipment, and to not work near them if possible.

Certain agricultural tasks like stacking bales and potato boxes, operating telehandlers and moving irrigation pipes should be avoided with 10m of overhead power lines, while farmers, workers and contractors should stay away from cables which are damaged or fall to the ground.

If contact is made with an overhead power line while in a vehicle, workers are advised to stay in the cab and try to drive clear, or to jump off if it unsafe to remain in it and move away.

If an incident occurs, the national 24 hour emergency number is 105.