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ELECTRICAL SAFETY FOR BUSINESSES

When working with heavy and specialised machinery, remember about safety – be cautious near cable lines and overhead lines.

The Protection Zone Law determines what type of work can be carried out near power lines.

When working in the protection zone of electrical cable lines, excavation, logging and other operations must be coordinated with the owner of the communications in advance. Coordination of work with Sadales tīkls is fast and convenient – an application for a permit can be submitted electronically at any time of the day in the portal saskano.sadalestikls.lv

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WITHOUT PRIOR COORDINATION IT IS PROHIBITED TO:

  • Perform excavation works closer than 1 metre from the axis of a cable line in populated areas, construction areas, rural areas and shrubs, and closer than 1.5 metres from a cable line in the forest;
  • Perform ground grading with heavy machinery;
  • Perform work with impact mechanisms, drop heavy objects, throw out and pour out corrosion causing substances;
  • Block up service roads and access points to objects of electrical networks.

If excavation goes deeper than 30 cm, and deeper than 45 cm on arable land, the work must also be coordinated with the building authority.

If you find an electrical cable that isn’t indicated in the project, get in touch with Sadales tīkls immediately.

Each year Sadales tīkls registers approximately 200 to 300 accidents in which overhead power lines are damaged with machinery. This happens when carrying out agricultural or forestry work – specialised machinery is getting larger and accidentally gets caught up in the cables.

  • It is prohibited to use machinery, the height of which exceeds 4.5 metres;
  • When carrying out work, the location of support constructions and overhead lines must be checked and the distance to them must be assessed;
  • It is prohibited to store materials and work with lifting equipment on power line routes (2.5 metres from the axis of the overhead line in populated areas and 6.5 metres on forest land and in rural areas).

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IN THE EVENT OF AN ELECTRICAL HAZARD?

IF EQUIPMENT HAS COME INTO CONTACT WITH AN OVERHEAD POWER LINE

  • If possible, continue operating the equipment to get out of the danger area;
  • If this isn’t possible, immediately call the fault reporting line of Sadales tīkls (8404), as well as 112 – the emergency services will switch off the voltage at the site of the accident. Don’t try to get off the equipment right away!
  • In the case that there is no possibility of communication or the equipment has caught fire, it must be evacuated – jump out and move at least 8 metres away (outside of the danger area) by either jumping with your feet together or by dragging your feet without separating them.
  • If you’ve managed to successfully evacuate the place of the accident, DO NOT RETURN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES until the consequences of the accident have been eliminated by specialists. Do not let others approach.

IF AN ELECTRICAL CABLE HAS BEEN DAMAGED DURING EXCAVATION

Call Sadales tīkls on 8404 and report the damage or call the emergency services on 112. Irresponsible actions such as escaping the place of the accident or burying the damaged cable can not only cut off the power supply for the local residents, school or hospital, but also endanger the lives of others.