Emergency Information In an electricity related emergency, contact Eastland Network Limited at any time on 0800 206 207.
Fallen Lines
Never approach a fallen line, preferably stay at least 10 meters away from it.
Call Eastland Network Limited straight away on 0800 206 207.
If a line falls on a vehicle, the vehicle could be 'alive'. Do not touch the vehicle. If someone is in the vehicle, it is best to stay in it if possible, until the electricity company advises it is safe to get out.
In an emergency situation, when someone has to get out of the vehicle they should jump as far away as possible, keeping both of their feet together. Never touch both the ground and the vehicle at the same time.
If you are carrying out any type of work near overhead lines you must: observe a minimum distance of 4 metres for any scaffolding or machinery. Remember high voltage electricity can jump - you don't even need to touch the line to be injured or killed.
Obtain advice before: attempting to carry out excavation work near overhead lines; planning any type of building project under or near overhead lines.
Never climb a power pole, and never fly kites, model aircraft or play with fishing poles near lines.
Avoid lighting fires under lines.
Look above and keep well clear when handling a boat mast or any type of equipment near power lines.
Home Owners
The following codes of practice set out the guidelines for the domestic handyman who wants to carry out electrical DIY in the home.
These standards are produced by the Energy Safety Service, Ministry of Economic Development, and are available for free download in PDF Adobe Acrobat format.
Portable generators are designed to be moved around from site-to-site, for example with caravans. They are not intended to be connected directly to your electrical system. As such, they should normally only be used to supply appliances through flexible cords.
Never add fuel to your generator while it is running.
Add appliances progressively one by one, starting with the largest. Never add them all at once. Don't connect loads that exceed the generator's maximum output rating. Most generators have a maximum rating in Watts e.g. 2000 watts (2 kilowatts).
Don't attempt to connect your generator to the supply through a wall outlet or by altering your house wiring.
Never use a generator inside a building. This could create the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning or fire.
For additional safety, use a safety switch designed specially for generators.
Always use a multiple-outlet box with built in load limiters. It is not advisable to piggy-back cords on the one outlet.
Farmers
Take care when loading or unloading metal irrigation pipes close to power lines. Keep all irrigation equipment four metres from overhead power lines.
Pay particular attention to overhead power lines when you are working on vehicles with raised apparatus, such as drills, grain augers and ladders.
Take care when erecting wire fences not to follow the same path as overhead power lines. If a fence wire breaks, it could flick upwards and come into contact with an overhead power line.
When working with power tools, use a Residual Current Device (RCD), which will rapidly disconnect the electricity supply in the event of a dangerous situation occurring.
