NIE WARNS CONTRACTORS OF DANGER OF DEATH - Over 90,000 customers affected this year by third party damage

07/06/2007

Northern Ireland Electricity today announced that over 90,000 customers lost electricity supplies in the last year because of third party damage to the electricity network. The company has warned all contractors, farmers, DIY enthusiasts and anyone operating heavy machinery to take the necessary safety precautions when working in the vicinity of overhead lines and underground electricity cables.  
 
The safety appeal has been issued in light of over 1,780 incidences of third party damage to both the overhead and underground electricity network since April 2006. Although there has been a slight decrease in the number of damages, the number of injuries received as a result of contact with the electricity network has increased.  
 
Roy Coulter, NIE Safety and Risk Manager, stresses the dangers involved in working near electricity equipment without the necessary information and safety precautions. “Every year we highlight the dangers involved, and every year people are injured and killed because they do not follow the correct safety guidelines. 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. In the last year there have been over 30 serious injuries and two fatalities following contact with the electricity network. NIE puts safety at the heart of all our operations – we want everyone working near electricity equipment to do the same.  
 
“Every contractor should familiarise himself with all services, electrical, gas, water and telephone present at a work location. Contractors should contact NIE in good time requesting information about electrical equipment in the vicinity of their work. NIE will issue a ‘mark up’ drawing, free of charge, detailing all the information we have on underground electrical equipment in the area where work is to be carried out. Contractors should ensure this document is on site when working and that all sub contractors have been fully briefed. In recent months we have discovered contractors working without mark up drawings on site – this is a highly dangerous practice and steps must be taken to ensure proper safety procedures are followed.  
 
“All contractors should carry out their work in accordance with HSG 47 and these principles are clearly laid out in our booklet - Safety Advice for Contractors. This booklet can be downloaded from www.niesafety.co.uk under the Contractors section. Through these actions we aim to raise awareness sufficiently to avoid another person sustaining a serious injury. There is also a financial penalty for anyone who ignores safety guidelines, and NIE will continue to seek financial recompense from contractors and individuals who damage the electricity network.”  
 
Roy adds, “It must be remembered that the saddest statistic of all is that seven people have lost their lives since 2001, because they made contact with the overhead network. These fatalities are a warning to every DIY enthusiast or contractor who fails to take note of the proximity of the electrical network to their work area. Safe working is even more important with the high level of construction and infrastructure activity planned in Northern Ireland over the next few years.”  
 
Ken Logan, Principal Inspector with HSENI, welcomes NIE’s awareness campaign. "The Health and Safety Executive will continue to work with NIE, and other partners, to help break the cycle of repeating the same type of accidents. Since the ‘Protocol for the Management of Underground Services’ was introduced last year we have seen a slight decrease in the number of damages, but there is still much room for improvement. Electricity demands our respect - it has killed and will kill again if proper planning and management control are not applied to work in the vicinity of services. We urge all contractors to ensure health and safety guidelines are strictly applied to all projects working in the vicinity of electricity equipment."  
 
NIE currently offers contractors a wide range of advice and assistance to help them avoid overhead and underground cables including advice leaflets, videos, cab safety stickers, maps and diagrams of the underground electricity network. Contact NIE on 08457 643 643 or for additional safety advice check the NIE website www.niesafety.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland - HSE guidance notes GS6 (Avoidance of danger from overhead electric lines) and HSE booklet HS (G) 47 (Avoiding danger from underground services).  

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