Live overhead power lines are responsible for a number of deaths in several instances when people unknowingly come in contact with them.  Instances of such accidents involve operations of machinery like lorry-loading cranes, normal cranes, tipping trailers; equipment like ladders, scaffold tubes or work operations such as lifting, loading and unloading or stacking etc.

Touching or coming into close proximity with these power lines can lead to a fire or electric shock causing burn injuries and fatalities. Such incidents most often happen unwittingly when individuals are too tired or in a rush to notice them hanging low or when the weather is too foggy. Though many of the power lines are insulated it is always better to consider them live so that necessary precautions are always undertaken.

There are several types of overhead power lines with differing voltage levels and the regulatory height requirements of each are different. Higher voltage lines need to be at greater heights from the ground than those transmitting low voltages. The impact of each is different depending upon the type. All said and done it is always wiser to adopt the precautionary approach. In this context, electrical  accessories like outdoor protection shroud, overhead line cover or heat shrink boot are highly useful products.

Each of these products offer insulating properties to the cables and overhead power lines and prevent them from creating accidents. They provide an enclosing protective cover as they are weather, erosion and chemical resistant, flame retardants, halogen free and have high UV stabilization. However, effective risk management is of paramount importance in such circumstances and this can be achieved through efficient planning, management and consultation by all interested parties.

Points of consideration will involve ascertaining the voltage levels and the height of wires above ground, type of work that is to be undertaken in close proximity of the overhead lines and if access is needed below the wires, height and width of the equipment to be handled close to the overhead power lines and the competency of the people working in and around the site. While work is being carried around the area, barriers can be used to indicate to people to keep their equipment away from the site.

If work below the overhead lines has to be undertaken like pipe laying, road works, cutting of grass or formation of structures and if there is no chance of inadvertent contact then there is no need for any precautionary measures to be undertaken. In this context, the effectiveness of the risk assessment is very important.

Overhead line cover helps to avoid the incidences of electrical failures that can occur due to trees or birdlife coming into contact with the power distribution lines. These are made from top quality non-tracking polyolefin which enables insulation of bare lines without experiencing costly conductor replacement hardware. This line cover can be installed selectively too. Such type of insulation cover devices provide complete electrical safety when work has to be undertaken below the overhead power lines. Heat shrink boot, outdoor protection shroud all come in the category of electrical accessories that help to make life safer for personnel involved in such related work.