With the nation currently in lockdown in response to the coronavirus outbreak, a spot of gardening is often a popular way to get fresh air while still sticking to the Government’s social distancing guidelines.
And while Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is aware that most people will be gardening on a small scale, it also wants to highlight the potential dangers of striking an underground cable when working on larger projects.
Since lockdown began on 23rd March, SSEN has seen 9 reported incidents where their underground cables have been struck by a member of the public digging their garden. Thankfully not all of these incidents resulted in an injury, but each one of them had the potential to have had a more serious, if not fatal, outcome.
Turning the earth or skimming your topsoil shouldn’t present any risk, but if you’re considering larger tasks that involved deeper digging, excavation or driving fence posts, SSEN is urging you to contact them for some essential safety advice and to check cable locations beforehand.
Kelvin Somers, SSEN’s Networks Safety Advisor, said:
“Gardening is one of our traditional British pastimes and, in the current situation, it’s a fantastic way to get out in the fresh air while still following the essential social distancing guidelines.
“We want everyone to stay safe in their garden or allotment, first and foremost for their own sakes, but also to prevent the risk of any damage to the electricity network, which is playing such an important part in the nation’s fight against coronavirus.
“Our message is simple: before you start, have a think about the work you’ll be doing and please visit our website or call us for some helpful safety advice.”
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For more information, visit SSEN’s online safety library for leaflets on safer working in the garden and other activities.
Maybe not in South Yorkshire though eh…….?
Everyone should be wrapped up in cotton wool and put to bed and made to stay there…..for your safety. Better to exist for a lifetime rather than live for a month eh!
Not in my garden as some nearby inconsiderate person has lit a bonfire!!
Not in mine either ,overhead power line
How awful for you, must be just like living through the blitz. Call the snowflake police.
That’s Shocking!
Less risk perhaps a family picnic away from others on a secluded beach then?
Perhaps the well to do will stop riding their horses ‘in case they fall and take up a hospital bed’ or add to the NHS burden, but, they won’t as feel they are above such rules.
Unsure if such articles are placed to stir up controversy or just click bait, either it works.