‘Can I dig it?’ is the question Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) wants everyone to ask themselves before they begin excavation work.
Whether you’re a budding gardener itching to try out your new tools, or an experienced construction company working on a housing development, anyone putting a spade in the ground could potentially strike an underground cable, running the risk of serious injury or death and putting the power off in the local community.
In the last year SSEN, the company responsible for the electricity network across central southern England, was called out to nearly 2,400 incidents where their underground cables had been struck by spades, forks, or mechanical diggers.
It’s not just gardeners or DIY enthusiasts that SSEN is keen to reach with their plea, as only last month a construction firm on the outskirts of London struck one of the company’s cables, causing the power to over 300 properties to go off for a short time.
To prevent injuries and power cuts, SSEN is urging everyone planning on doing some digging to carry out a full risk assessment before they start. Solid guidance regarding safe digging techniques is available on the Health and Safety Executive website.
Ian Crawley, SSEN’s Operational Safety Manager, said:
“With warmer weather hopefully just around the corner, we know a lot of our customers will be out in the garden, and we want to make sure that they enjoy their hobby and not put themselves and others at risk by striking one of our cables. We also want to make sure that companies using larger digging machinery are mindful of the need to carry out a full risk assessment and check the underground situation before they start their work.
“Digging can sometimes give us a stiff back, achy knees and blisters on the palms, but it’s often forgotten that it can also be potentially deadly if you strike an underground electric cable. We want to help ensure our customers stay safe, so we are asking them to follow the guidance provided by the Health and Safety Executive before they put a spade in the ground.”
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