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During this warm spell many people are busy with DIY and gardening projects to improve the home which has become their world during ‘lockdown’.

Today (16/04/2020 ) the UK’s biggest electricity distributor is urging people to remember the potential dangers from power cables both inside and outside their homes.

Safety is really important to UK Power Networks, which distributes power supplies across London, the South East and East of England to almost 20 million people, and advisors are urging that care must be taken when using tools to do a range of odd jobs in and around their homes.

Key advice for specific gardening and DIY tasks includes:

• Drilling: Always use a cable detector when drilling. Electricity cables can be hidden in walls and below floors
• Mowing the lawn: Always fit plugs with a Residual Current Device (RCD) to protect against electrocution. This safety device automatically switches off power when there is a fault
• Digging deep in the garden: When planting trees or installing fence panels be mindful of underground cables and the risk they pose
• Ladders: When doing outdoor jobs at height always look up and look out for overhead power cables, as contact could be fatal.

Emma Palmer, who heads the safety communications team at UK Power Networks, said: “It can be easy to get a bit complacent at home and accidents can happen if people are not mindful of the dangers around electricity cables.

“We are urging people to take care when they begin jobs and remember that power cables can be hidden out of sight. Every year around half-a-dozen people in the UK are killed and several hundred more seriously injured from coming into contact with high voltage electricity.”

In the event of a power cut or safety issue, you should call 105 or 0800 3163105 and Be Bright Stay Safe safety advice can be found at https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/safety/

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