NIE highlights electricity dangers

Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) today issued a strong warning to all contractors, farmers and DIY enthusiasts to take the necessary safety precautions when working in the vicinity of overhead and underground electricity cables.

Since January there have been over 1,000 incidences of damage to the underground and overhead electricity network and NIE hopes raising awareness of site safety procedures will improve standards of health and safety.

Roy Coulter, NIE Director of Safety and Risk, stressed the dangers involved in working near electricity equipment without the necessary information and safety precautions.

“Any contact with live electricity equipment can result in a fatality and contractors must follow correct safety procedures to keep all those on site safe,” he said.

“Every contractor should familiarise himself with all services, electrical, gas, water and telecommunications equipment present at, or adjacent to, a work location.”

In 2003, contractors and individual householders working on property caused over 169 outages on the high voltage network, affecting over 87,000 customers, with an average disruption to electricity supplies of 1.6 hours per customer.

“It must be remembered that the saddest statistic of all is that four people have lost their lives in the last three years, because they made contact with the overhead network,” Mr Coulter added.

“There have also been a number of serious injuries and NIE does not wish for these tragedies to be lost on every DIY enthusiast or contractor who fails to take note of the proximity of the electrical network to their work area. This is even more important with the high level of construction activity in Northern Ireland planned for the next few years.”

NIE currently offers contractors a wide range of advice and assistance to help them avoid overhead and underground cables on 08457 643 643.

(MB/GMCG)