Northern Powergrid is set to meet Penistone’s agricultural community to spread harvest safety messages and give customers an insight into how the electricity distributor powers their local community.
The company, which is responsible for the network that delivers electricity to 3.9 million homes and businesses across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, will host a stand at this year’s Penistone Agricultural Show on Saturday 10 September 2016.
The company will help deliver the harvest safety message to farmers.
This will include handing out specially designed key rings and pens, containing scrolls with safety advice, and in-cab air fresheners and stickers aimed at reminding farmers and farm workers to look up and be aware of any power lines where they’re working.
Landowners or farmers are free to ask about times when the company needs to go onto their land to carry out repairs, essential maintenance or investment work to improve or repair the region's power network.
Large sections of Northern Powergrid’s network crosses farmland with some overhead cables on wood poles carrying anything up to 132,000 volts.
Judging heights and distances, especially when tired or operating in reduced light at dusk or dawn, can be particularly challenging for farm workers.
Northern Powergrid is recommending that farmers always carry out risk assessments on land before starting work, especially prior to harvesting crops or if they have contracted in new staff who may not be familiar with the land.
'Vital safety messages'
Geoff Earl, Northern Powergrid’s Director of Safety, Health and Environment, said: "Attending shows like the Penistone Agricultural show provides us with a valuable opportunity to meet our customers, share vital safety messages and give the farming community a real insight into what we do every day to keep the lights on in their community.
"We’d urge farmers to come and visit us at the show and pick up one of our special key rings or pens so they can keep the safety information they need with them - and their workers - at all times during this harvest season."
Northern Powergrid’s attendance at the Penistone Agricultural Show is part of a wider harvest safety campaign by the company which included a six-week social media campaign targeting the growing digital savvy agricultural community and attendance at eight key agricultural shows.
After the Penistone Agricultural Show, the last show in the programme to support and spread safety messages to the farming community is the Stokesley Show (17 September).
