Electricity is one of those things we all take for granted...until there’s a power outage. Because it’s invisible to us we often forget about its power. Here are some tips to keep your family safe.
NEVER touch any power line, even if you think it’s safe. Please report downed power lines immediately to us on Tel 505050.
LOOK UP! Be careful not to touch overhead power lines with ladders, long-handled equipment, television antennas or other items.
Landscape carefully around electrical equipment.
Take care when climbing in trees. Always look for power lines before climbing. Once in the tree it may be difficult to spot lines as they tend to blend in with the colors of the tree. If there are power lines running through the trees, call us and request that we trim the tree away from the lines.
Overhead line poles aren’t bulletin boards. Please don’t attach signs, antennas, clothes lines or any other items to utility poles. They create a hazard for electrical workers who must climb the pole to access conductors and it reduces the life of the pole.
Be careful around substations. The high-voltage equipment in our power substations is very dangerous. Please advise your children and other family members of this danger.
If you get your kite tangled in our lines or accidentally throw a ball or something else into a substation, please call us on 505050 and we will retrieve it for you.
If JEC are carrying out work in open pits which cannot be filled in at the end of day, the area will be barriered off and signposted to prevent people from injuring themselves. If you observe that the Barriers have fallen over Please contact us on 505050.
One of the main dangers which may arise when excavating is that of possible damage to underground electricity cables. Injuries resulting from damage to live electricity cables are usually caused by the explosive effects of arcing current with associated fire or flames, which typically cause severe and potentially fatal burns to the hands, face and body. Direct electric shock is also a possibility.
By taking all practicable precautions to prevent accidental contact with underground electricity cables, Contractors will not only ensure their employees safety, but also avoid the considerable cost of repair and in extreme cases, avoid compensation claims or even prosecution.
The Health and Safety at Work (Jersey) Law 1989 is the main statutory occupational Health and Safety Law which applies in Jersey. Part II of the Law sets out general duties in relation to Health and Safety at Work on all those involved with work activities, including manufacturers, designers, employers, self-employed and employees in respect of persons at work and members of the Public.
The Electricity at Work (Jersey) Regulations 1983 sets out detailed requirements to control Health and Safety risks from electricity. They include specific requirements to ensure that risks are controlled when working with underground electricity cables. Guidance provided in the Jersey Council for Safety and Health at work booklet "Working Safely and Avoiding Danger from Underground Services and other Utility Apparatus" will assist persons with duties under the above regulations to meet their legal requirements.
A Safe System of Work to avoid danger from contact with underground electricity cables has three basic elements.
Plans of all Jersey Electricity’s underground cables should be obtained before excavation work commences.
It is essential that the plans are interpreted correctly, and any queries regarding the plans should be referred back to the Drawing Office at Jersey Electricity.
The plans may only give an indication of the location, configuration and number of cables present and cannot be relied upon for accurate distance measurement. Similarly, service cables are not usually shown on the cable plans (i.e. low voltage cables providing services to individual premises or other electrical supply such as lamp posts, telephone kiosks etc).
You should always check the area for indicators that might suggest the presence of service cables and use a cable locator and safe excavation practices as indicated below.
Suitable cable locating devices should be used in conjunction with the cable plans to determine as accurately as possible the position of underground cables in or near the proposed work area.
Operatives should be trained in the use of locating devices and be competent in their various modes of operations and interpretation of the signals obtained.
The line of all identified cables should be noted and marked with waterproof paint and crayon or with shallow pegs in grassed areas.
Excavation work should be carried out carefully and follow recognised safe practices.
Once a locating device has been used to determine the position and routes of known underground cables, excavation may proceed with trial holes dug using suitable hand tools as necessary to confirm the position of any buried underground cables. Special care should be taken when excavating above or close to the assumed position of any underground cables.
Hand held power tools and mechanical excavators are the main causes of danger and they should not be used within 0.6m of Low Voltage cables or 1m of High Voltage cables unless prior agreement has been reached with Jersey Electricity.
As the excavation progresses, a careful watch should be kept for indication of the cable and regular checks made with the cable locating device to determine the position of the cable.
Cables embedded in concrete or under other difficult obstacles where the use of power tools is necessary, should be made dead or an alternative method of work agreed with Jersey Electricity before the work commences.
When cables have been exposed, suitable precautions should be taken to prevent damage while other works are proceeding.
Backfill around the cables must be either black sand or equivalent or where necessary cement bound sand that must be installed by competent persons.
Any disturbed marker tapes or tiles must also be replaced as they will indicate the presence of cables to other contractors undertaking excavations in the vicinity.
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