Arc Flash Safety Awareness Campaign | Service Cable Strikes – Internal Safety Training Video
Published 30 Jun 2021
Service Cable Strikes
Internal Safety Training Video
Bomb – An explosive, incendiary or other destructive substance or device. In our industry this could be electric cables or gas pipes. Many people are killed or seriously injured from service strikes every year. Because when you hit an electric cable or gas pipe it becomes a bomb! … and you’re far too close to escape its blast!
Minefield – An area of ground containing explosives or situation beset with hidden problems. In other words, the site you are working on.
Signs of a Potential Minefield – Signs of road repair, including patches, paved areas and new fill, odd features in the ground or patterns that are not present in nature. These situations present potential hazards.
Since 2015 an average of 70 people a year were killed or seriously injured from service strikes! … And that’s just in the UK!
The disclaimers on plans tell a big story ‘This information is given as a guide only and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed’
The depth of the hazard is not guaranteed either. These shallow hazards are everywhere! The following are taken from our own reports, all of these tell us to expect a threat as soon as we start digging.
Hit electric service cable @ 250mm – 200mm too shallow!
Cable struck with mini digger bucket @ 220mm deep!
UG streetlight cable hit by excavator. 60mm tarmac and depth of cable was 300mm!
Even if you hit a low voltage cable, you’re by no means safe. Examples of low voltage damage to PPE.
Would you cut corners here?
Service Strikes – Would you cut corners here?
Or here?
Service Strikes
Sweep For Mines – Assumption could kill you today. Bear in mind the unknowns beneath your feet, don’t cut corners, and plan for the unexpected!
âž¡ Thorne & Derrick together with ProGARM aim to educate and raise awareness about the dangers of cable strikes and how important it is to wear the correct Arc Flash clothing and accessories.
Closing Thought – statistics show that between eight and ten arc flash accidents occur in the UK every week. Protect yourself, contact us to learn how.
Protecting Cables Against Strikes & Restoring Power Post-Strike
Thorne & Derrick have been distributors for 3M Electrical since 1985 and can provide a range of reliable and easy to install Cable Repair Products – this includes Scotch Tapes, Scotchcast Joints and Cold Shrink Tubes to provide effective re-instatement of cable sheath jackets on all types of LV MV HV cables in onshore and offshore locations with safe or hazardous area workplace classifications.
Cable Repair Products
Our range of cable protection covers manufactured by Centriforce provide underground utility protection of LV MV HV cables including Tapetile (11kV) and Stokbord (33kV 66kV 132kV) – contact us to discuss Cable Damage Prevention Products including Dectamesh, the underground detectable warning tape for alerting excavators of the presence of buried cables and to prevent potentially lethal accidents during excavation.
Stokbord
Tapetile
Arc Flash Learning & Resources
Thorne and Derrick are proud to be distributors of ProGARM arc flash coveralls and protection.
We can help – should you require arc flash calculators or advice on the type of clothing and protection available please do not hesitate to contact us.
