At Horizon Networks, we take safety seriously. As part of keeping you safe it is important we remind everyone on our network about the dangers of working with or around electricity.
As well as offering a collection of general safety tips to keep you and your family safe around electricity, Horizon Networks provides a full range of network safety services.
View the information below to learn more about our safety tips and services and remember we’re here to answer any questions you have.
Noticed a problem with a power line? Call Horizon Networks on 0800 HORIZON
Stay away from power lines. Contact with power lines can be fatal or cause serious injury. Be aware of the dangers. Keep you, your workmates and your family clear of all power lines, poles and boxes at all times.
For times when you need to work near power lines or poles, please download and apply for close approach consent.
Need a hand to work out the details or get a quote for line work before submitting the consent? Please contact 0800 HORIZON
Moving a house, machinery or any kind of high reaching object can interfere with power lines. If you plan to move a high load, apply here for a high load consent. We’ll check your planned route for obstructions and give you essential advice.
Contact Horizon Networks before doing any work around power poles and lines. Excavating the ground near a power pole could weaken it, causing it to fall down.
Underground cables can kill. Check for buried cables before carrying out any digging work. Use a cable locating contractor, maps of the area and the OSH booklet to guide you safely.
Be prepared for an outage so you, your family, business and community are safe and comfortable until the power comes back on.
What can you do to be prepared for a power outage?
Before it happens:
During the power outage:
If you areunsure about what to do in the event of an electrical emergency, contact Horizon Networks on 0800 467 496.
How to protect your business in a power outage
Slow down. Check first. Save lives.
Working near power lines and electrical equipment puts you and your workmates at risk. Builders, arborists, farmers, electricians and anyone moving a high load need to be aware of the dangers.
Here are some safety tips to ensure you and your workmates stay safe when working near power lines and electrical equipment:
Your home is your haven. Talk to your family about ways to stay safe and sound in and around your house, garden or farmland.
At Horizon Networks, we take safety seriously. Our staff are specially trained to work in a potentially hazardous environment but there are some simple ways you can ensure your safety when near electrical equipment.
At the beginning of summer and winter, check each room in your home for electrical safety. Work through the lists below. Invest 10 – 20 minutes of your time now, it may save a life or prevent an accident in the future.
For more information about electrical safety, contact Horizon Networks on 0800 467 496.
Inside your house
Water and electricity do not mix
It is a basic rule and one we all need to remember. Remove appliances and cords from damp or wet areas. Dry hands before touching household appliances or plugs of any kind. Teach children about the danger.
Sockets and switches
Cords
Lighting
Portable electric heaters
Electric blankets
Appliances
Residual Current Devices (RCDs)
Fuses and circuit breakers
Outdoors
It always pays to look up and look around before you start an activity such as fishing, DIY, kite or model plane flying. If you see any overhead lines nearby, stay clear of them.
Electricity always seeks the easiest, most direct path to the ground. This means if something you touch comes into contact with overhead power lines, the electricity will pass through that object to you – causing death, severe burns or other injury. Read more about trimming trees near power lines.
Do you use medical equipment that needs a continuous supply of electricity?
Make sure you have a back up plan for unexpected interruptions to your power supply.
We understand that for those customers who rely on electricity to power essential medical equipment, a power outage can be a stressful time. However we can not guarantee a continuous supply of electricity at all times and temporary outages do occur. For planned outages, you should receive advance notification through your chosen retailer or by mail drop prior to the outage.
Be prepared
We recommend you make a back up emergency response plan that includes an uninterruptible power supply like a fully charged standby battery and the ability to move to a friend or family member’s house that isn’t experiencing an outage.
Please register as a medically dependent consumer (MDC) with your electricity retailer, so we are aware of your needs.
If your health is under threat, call your doctor or call 111
Further information and the MDC Guideline is available at the Electricity Authority’s website.
As a property owner, you may be surprised to learn you might own and be responsible for maintaining power lines, regardless of whether they are overhead or underground.
What do you know about power lines?
Who owns the electricity lines on your property?
The lines company owns the lines and equipment usually running along the side of the road (or underground), up to the point of supply. The point of supply is generally a fuse at the top of the pole or in a service pillar or pit on your boundary. They’re responsible for the repair of faults on the network or with equipment.
However, you may not realise that as a property owner you are responsible for the maintenance of the electricity lines on your property – called service lines. If you own an industrial or rural site then you may well own and maintain the high voltage overhead lines and underground cables on your property too. You probably own all the equipment on your property except for a few items such as meters and hot water relays, which are the responsibility of your electricity retailer.
Who maintains these assets?
Along with this ownership comes the responsibility to maintain. That means making sure all structures stay in good condition and that they are not put at risk by trees or any building works. You’re also responsible for ensuring your connection doesn’t interfere with the quality of supply taken from the network by other customers. If there is a fault on your service line, you may be responsible for the cost of repair and a possible call out charge.
We’re here to help
The team at Horizon Networks is keen to help. Contact us to organise an assessment of the lines and equipment on your property to check its condition and any associated risks. We can set up an ongoing maintenance programme and even advise on whether you should look at installing any backup systems like a generator. Best of all, we can work on live lines so if you need some offending trees to be cut back, or other work to be undertaken near lines, then we can do it while your power stays on! Live lines servicing is vital for anyone whose livelihood relies on the power staying on.
Trees close to service lines? Digging near underground cables?
Keep you and your family safe. Carry out regular checks to ensure the lines and poles on your property are in good shape. Make sure lines are well clear of trees and scrub. If you’re having any work carried out on a service line, contact us first for advice and to supply an approved contractor.
Going underground?
Building a fence? Digging around poles or possible underground cables? Check before you dig! Contact us first as we know the approximate location of our network and can provide an approved locator. Reduce the risk, read this OSH guide for more information.
How to protect indoor electrical equipment
Computers, TVs, computers and appliances are vulnerable to fluctuations and surges in power and power outages. Install back-up devices or surge protectors (plug ins or wired into your mains) and check your insurance covers voltage fluctuations. Check our Stay Safe Around the Home electricity checklist above for more safety tips and ideas.