Safety Awareness

Raising safety awareness is an integral part of our Education programmes.

Why is electricity dangerous?

It always tries to find the easiest path to the ground. Electricity flows more easily through water than through air. Human Bodies contain 70% water, this means that if you touch an electric current it will pass through the water content of your body as it seeks to find the easiest path to the ground causing you to suffer an electric shock.

Make sure your children know how to stay safe.

Sometimes electricity substations look like good places to build a den, but interfering with substations is extremely hazardous at any time of the year.

If a ball or other object ends up in a substation compound children should be reminded to leave it there and not be tempted to reach it.

The electricity equipment is designed and installed to the highest standards, it is safe if left alone. Keep well clear of equipment marked with the yellow "danger of death" symbol.

We have come across children using steel pylons as climbing frames - apart from the obvious danger of falling off, there is a real risk of electric shock as high voltage electricity can jump through the air.

Look out for overhead lines before fishing or flying kites and avoid these and similar leisure activities in the vicinity of overhead lines.

Electric shocks can cause:

Your heart to stop beating.
Your heart depends on a small regular electric stimulation to keep beating. A large shock can change the way it beats or stop it, resulting in death.

Difficulty breathing.
A large electric shock can paralyse the muscles you use to breath.

Muscle contractions.
The electricity causes your muscles to contract, effectively sticking you to the source of electric current and causing partial or total paralysis.

Shock.
An electric shock can cause your body to go into 'shock' this means that your blood pressure falls, your pulse gets faster and you can lose consciousness. This can also result in death.

Burns.
Electricity can also cause severe burns at the point it enters and leaves your body on its way to the ground.

Further information:

Take a look below at the electricity safety video - The Invisible Power, which highlights the dangers of playing around electricity.