The Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks promotion has a ‘‘Look out, look up!’ message.
They advise farmers to:
n Risk assess and be aware of the height of machinery that will be in use near lines and ensure there’s plenty of clearance – remember that electricity can ‘jump’ if an object comes near enough
n If you do come in to contact with an overhead line or cable, if it’s safe to do so, stay in your cab or vehicle and try to avoid touching anything metal within it
n Call 105 immediately – this is the UK-wide single emergency number for power companies and is the quickest way to put you through to the correct network operator
n If the situation is too dangerous to stay put, for example, if the machinery is affected by fire, it’s advised that you leap out of the vehicle as high and as far as you can to avoid touching any part of the machinery or electricity network.
