Cable Strikes | Excavator Struck 11kV Overhead Power Lines
Published 11 May 2021
Cable Strikes
Utility Strike Avoidance Group
USAG have published a range of documents to assist industry understanding of the root cause and contributory factors behind specific incidents. The aim is to improve industry standards and reduce the number of cable strikes.
Cable damage is often caused by excavating machines – hand held tools such as pneumatic drills, crowbars, pins, picks and forks also expose workers to potential sources of danger when digging around underground cables.
The next in the series is a safety alert thanks to Highway England regarding incidents caused by contractors incorrectly supporting power cables.
A Striking Reminder
Incident Overview
Critical and immediate safety action from the Deputy Director Health, Safety & Wellbeing
During river maintenance work a 21 tonne long reach excavator fitted with a weed cutting attachment, came into contact with an uninsulated overhead electricity cable rated at 11,000 Volts / 11kV. Fortunately no one was injured and the utility company repaired the damaged cable that day. Due to the potential consequences this has been classified a Safety Critical Incident. We have reported this dangerous occurrence to the Health and Safety Executive, who have been in contact with us about the matter.
The initial facts point towards the importance of implementing our established control measures.
The full facts and lessons learned will emerge in the review that has begun. However, the incident is an important reminder of the significant hazard presented by overhead powerlines. I am therefore reminding colleagues who undertake, supervise or manage work involving mobile plant and equipment of the key precautions that must be taken when travelling under or working near overhead powerlines.
Operations Managers must:
Brief those members of their teams who plan, supervise and undertake tasks involving mobile plant and equipment, and remind them to:
- Obtain up to date services information from statutory utility providers before the work commences
- Include the information on services in the Pre-Construction Information and/ or site pack for the activity
- Provide information on services and other hazards on a single map or plan of the site
- Implement all of the control measures specified in the risk assessment before the works proceed
- Carry out a pre-start briefing so that risks, controls and method of work are communicated to colleagues undertaking the task
- When plant is operating within 15 metres of overhead power lines, ascertain the voltage and height of the cables. This information is essential in determining exclusion zones, stand-off distances and for setting of height limiter devices
By close of business on 15 September 2020 all Operations Managers must:
Please note Safeguard is not being used to issue actions due to reliability problems (we shall shortly be moving Group Actions to Airsweb).
As an interim measure;
Confirm that the action is completed and that the appropriate personnel have been briefed as requested by using the voting buttons on the notification email.
Remember; taking these actions could prevent a colleague being hurt or seriously injured –Â This action was approved by the review team on 8 September 2020
To support this action, active monitoring suggestions include:
- Check if services information is included in site packs
- Ask site teams if they know the voltage and height of the overhead power lines they are working near or travelling under
- Check quality of site maps and plans to see if hazard information is included
Cable Strikes | Cable Hangers | Cable Ducting | Cable Protection | Electrical Safety Equipment
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
