The ‘Look out, Look up’ electricity safety campaign for this year will soon commence as the harvest season approaches.
The message for agricultural workers will be to appreciate the dangers and take extra care when working close to power lines at one of the farming calendar’s busiest times of the year.
Agriculture can be a dangerous profession and accidental contact with overhead power lines is one of the hazards farmers face when they’re working outdoors, particularly when they’re tired.
One person dies per year in the agricultural industry when working too close to overhead power lines, according to the campaign.
In addition, there were also 1,140 near-miss incidents involving machinery and equipment contacting overhead electric power lines where serious injury or death was a possibility in the last five years.
Farming machinery has become bigger and taller over the years and dangers can occur during ploughing, using irrigation pipes and ladders, loading or unloading vehicles, using combine harvesters, tipper wagons or trailers in fields and stacking materials.
'Life-changing'
UK Power Networks, which delivers electricity across the UK, is asking farmers and agricultural workers to be vigilant when working out in the fields.
Education adviser Ros Forbes said: “Electricity is very useful but also potentially dangerous and an electric shock can result in life-changing injuries or even death.
“Our main advice is to always be extra vigilant and have a good look up and around to see what power lines are around you. When you’re tired and engrossed in your work it can be easy to miss the hazards before it’s too late.
Mr Forbes added: “Being at Cereals again is a fantastic way for us to personally meet farmers and agricultural workers in huge numbers and deliver a safety message which could one day save their life provided they take simple precautions.”
Near fatal incident
The dangers of overhead power lines has been highlighted in a hard-hitting story which nearly claimed the life of a Cornish father and farmer.
Ian Davey had a near fatal incident when a snap decision during combining had life changing consequences.
Arriving at the field with his tractor and trailer to collect the grain from the combine, Ian found that he had five minutes to spare and decided to tip the trailer into the air, facing it into the sun to dry the floor and help prevent the grain from getting wet.
Unbeknown to him, the trailer had touched the power line and, as he got out of the tractor cab, stepping on to the ground and holding the metal door, 11,000 volts of electricity shot through him.
an said: “Farming can be a dangerous occupation, and there is so much to do that we rush – but that is when accidents happen. The trailer I was in had touched a power line and, as I stepped out of the tractor cab holding the metal door, 11,000 volts shot through my body.
“I was literally stuck to the spot,” he said. “It was about three or four minutes after that when the front tyre of the tractor caught fire. Even though the power hadn’t killed me, if I hadn’t managed to break free then the fire would have.”
“The power surge dislocated my shoulder and shattered my arm. Doctors told me that it looked as though somebody had smashed the bone with a sledgehammer.
“It took almost leaving behind my two children and wife to mean I’m now careful and cautious on the farm, always thinking twice before doing anything. Things could have been different for me had I known the advice within Look Out Look Up!.
He added: “If the campaign helps even one farmer avoid a potentially fatal contact with an overhead power line, then it is absolutely worth it."
Safety tips
• Check the location of underground electricity cables and overhead electricity power lines on your land
• Contact UK Power Networks for plans showing where electrical equipment is and add it to your farm map
• Tell visitors, contractors or casual workers about the presence of electricity cables and lines
• Look up when loading or unloading vehicles, using tipper wagons, trailers or stacking materials
• Be extra careful when ploughing, using irrigation pipes, ladders and combine harvesters
• UK Power Networks’ 24hr emergency helpline is 105 or 0800 3163 105.
