Contact with overhead power lines (OHPLs) causes fatal or severe electric shock and burn injuries. This can also happen when a person or object is close enough to a line for a flashover to occur. Striking underground cables often leads to burn injuries from the resulting explosion and may also result in electric shock if contact is made with live conductors. All overhead lines and other electrical apparatus can be extremely dangerous. If you need to work near them, get competent advice from the energy network provider.
Working near live overhead electric lines and underground electric cables is responsible for many incidents every year. These incidents often result in the serious injury of people, damage to equipment and disruption of electricity supplies, as these case studies show. Many of these incidents are related to tree work near live electrical equipment.
You can minimise the risk of injury associated with any task with a work plan based on:
When you need to work near OHPLs, you need to agree with the owner of the line, usually the distribution network operator (DNO) for the power lines to be disconnected.
To allow tree work near to live electrical equipment to be done safely, make sure that all tree work is done:
Carefully plan:
For advice telephone your local network operator.
