Midlands farmers reminded to take care near electricity infrastructure
The warning comes during Farm Safety Week
Farmers across the Midlands are being urged throughout this busy time of year for them in harvesting season to stay alert around overhead power lines and underground cables.
The reminder comes during this 14th annual Farm Safety Week (20-24 July) from the National Grid Electricity Distribution which serves the region, along with the South West and South Wales.
It's asking them to take a moment to check their surroundings before starting any work, with it part of a wider effort to reduce the number of incidents involving farm machinery and electricity infrastructure.
Head of Safety at National Grid Electricity Distribution, Christopher Cleveland, said: "Farmers are highly skilled professionals who know their land and machinery better than anyone, but when it comes to electricity, familiarity doesn't remove the risk.
"The biggest mistake we see is people not stopping to check before starting work, many incidents happen during routine jobs because someone assumes they have enough clearance or believes nothing has changed since the last time they carried out the task.
"Before starting work, take a few moments to identify any nearby overhead power lines or underground cables, think through the job and make sure it can be carried out safely.
"Check it, don't chance it."
More safety information can be found on the National Grid website.