36 GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW PREVIEW
36 GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW PREVIEW
JUN / JUL 2024 • farmers-mart . co . uk
LOOK UP IT ’ S LIVE
Watch out for power lines
Gareth Pearson , Northern Powergrid ’ s Director of Health , Safety and Training is urging farmers and farm workers to ‘ Look Up It ’ s Live ’ and stay safe from overhead power lines .
GARETH said : “ It ’ s vital that people understand the very real dangers of working near power lines and know what to do in an emergency . Cables on wooden poles can carry up to 132,000 volts - making contact or even coming too close is extremely dangerous and can result in serious injury or death .
“ It ’ s easy to misjudge heights and distances , especially when tired or operating in poor light at dusk or dawn . Farmers must carry out a risk assessment prior to work , particularly if workers are not familiar with the land , and make sure everyone is aware of the dangers and the action they should take in an emergency .”
The network operator has launched a new ‘ Working together with agriculture to save lives ’ brochure to provide advice and information when operating machinery near to , or underneath , overhead power lines .
Endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ), the booklet sets out how to safely assess and put control measures in place to work your land - such as knowing the maximum height and vertical reach of machines , finding out the routes of all power lines in your area , making sure when moving equipment telescopic handlers are retracted and kept close to the ground , lowering grain tank lids , using sprayers with horizontally folding booms and never folding vertical sprayer booms on the move .
Download a copy at www . northernpowergrid . com / safety
Need to contact Northern Powergrid in an emergency ? Call 105 .