Utilities

When carrying out any project which might involve disturbing or working near to electrical power lines, above or below ground, it is vital to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to make sure the work is safe.

When electrical power lines are not interacted with in a safe way, there is a real threat to life for workers. In recent years there have been fatalities in the UK due to unsafe interactions with power lines.

Electrical safety when digging down

Before carrying out building work that requires penetrating the ground, it is very important to locate, identify and mark underground electrical cables.

It is possible to receive injuries, in some cases fatal injuries and burns, from disturbing underground electricity cables. It is not possible to tell if these electricity cables are live or not just by looking at them. You may need to make the cables dead before you carry out the work.

Extensive planning before you start digging is essential.

You should make sure you have all the relevant details about any possible underground utilities before you start any sort of excavation work.

If you can't find evidence of underground utilities, never assume they're not there — contact your network operator before starting work. You can find your local electricity network operator using the postcode finder tool here.¹

These details may include documents such as the cable record. Records should also be kept on site at all times whilst work is being carried out.

You must also make sure you are working with competent person(s) to ensure all the necessary measures are followed.

Electrical safety working at height

Similarly, it is important to take safety precautions when working with electricity at height.

Overhead powerlines pose a big risk to life. Particularly vulnerable are those working on lorry-mounted cranes or other forms of elevated work platforms, as well as those working with scaffolds, ladders, and other kinds of cranes.

Electricity can jump, so you do not have to come into direct contact with the powerlines in order to put yourself at risk.

For this reason, it is essential to ensure that extensive planning is carried out before beginning work.

You should find out if any power lines are overhead or within the immediate area of your planned project, and if so, assume they are live unless it can be proved otherwise.

If you can avoid working near to overhead lines, do so. If not, it is advisable to arrange for the overhead lines to be diverted away from where you will be working, or to have them switched off for the duration of your work.

If neither of these options are possible, you should ensure that the access to powerlines, and work in the area where powerlines are, is limited as much as possible.

1. https://www.energynetworks.org/operating-the-networks/whos-my-network-operator