Lockdown gardening boom sparks safety warning from electricity distribution firm SSEN
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HIGHLAND householders itching to tackle gardening projects over Easter are being urged to think twice before digging deep.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) says a spike in horticultural and home projects during the coronavirus pandemic has witnessed a rise in safety incidents where underground cables were struck by members of the public digging and driving in stakes.
It has launched a new safety website to give guidance on staying safe in the garden.
The company, which is responsible for operarting and maintaining electricity distribution networks to millions of homes, says hundreds of incidents have been recorded.
It said: "Fortunately, not all of these incidents resulted in an injury, but each of them had the potential for a more serious, if not fatal, outcome."
The company says that while it is aware most of its customers will be gardening on a smaller scale, some projects that involve stakes for fencing or deeper digging for ponds or walls require safety checks to be carried out before any works are started.
Ahead of any works, the distribution operator is encouraging people to think carefully about their projects, then ‘click before they dig’ and refer to the guidance on its new Safety website at www.ssen.co.uk/safety/home.
Ian Crawley, SSEN’s head of operational safety, said: “Easter is traditionally a time when many of us pick up spades and think about revamping our outdoor spaces, so we wanted to launch our new website to give advice to anyone undertaking a gardening or DIY project.
“Lighter works, such as planting, turning over or skimming topsoil shouldn’t raise any risks, but if you’re looking to take on a task that requires excavating, deeper digging or driving fence posts, then I’d encourage you to go to www.ssen.co.uk/safety/home for further information and advice, and to check cable locations ahead of works.”
He added: “Gardening has provided much solace in the last year and at SSEN, we want everyone to enjoy working outdoors and admiring the fruits of their labour, so please stay safe and ‘click before you dig’ this Easter.”
Information and advice on a variety of Safety subjects, including working in the garden, is available through SSEN’s new Safety website - www.ssen.co.uk/safety/home. Customers can also call for guidance on any works they are undertaking on 0800 072 7282.
