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Farmers urged to ‘look out, look up’ for power lines

21 July 2025

Electricity pylons in a field

Hundreds of farmers, contractors and landowners have been reminded of the importance of working safely around overhead powerlines ahead of the busy harvest season.

SSEN (Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks) has been talking to farmers about its annual 鈥榣ook out, look up, look after yourself鈥� farm safety campaign at a series of safety talks and events held across the NFU South region.

The events drew in hundreds of members of the farming community and SSEN鈥檚 safety team attending events in BB&O, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Jason Black, SSEN鈥檚 Operational Safety Manager for Distribution said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted to have been part of more NFU safety events this year than ever before, directly bringing our safety messages to nearly 400 farmers and contractors throughout the summer sessions.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 through these conversations that we are keeping that vital safety messaging in mind 鈥� from planning an initial risk assessment to returning home safely at the end of the working day.鈥�

鈥淲hile we鈥檙e continuing to see a reduction in non-injury incidents across farms and fields in central southern England distribution areas, we want to keep bringing that number down, so we鈥檒l keep asking 聽farmers, landowners and their contractors to be aware of their surroundings and potential hazards, and to prioritise their own wellbeing 鈥� not just for this harvest season, but for the whole of the year.鈥�

A group of people sitting around a table listening to a speaker

The SSEN safety team at an NFU event

BB&O County Adviser Nathan Boyd said: 鈥淭hese safety events, led by the NFU and held across the South, play a vital role in keeping farmers up to date on rules, especially as we come into harvest. Having SSEN involved is a vital component for us and our members.

鈥淓ach year we hear from farmers and operators who have had near misses or been trapped in machinery due to incidents with overhead lines, and the advice and information that SSEN鈥檚 safety team gives can literally save your life.鈥�

SSEN has produced the following advice to help famers stay safe when working near the electricity network:聽

  • Always check for power lines above you: 鈥楲ook out, look up, look after yourself鈥�.
  • If your farm machinery hits a power line: stay in the cab if safe, call 105 and wait for help.
  • Never touch an overhead line and don鈥檛 assume it鈥檚 dead 鈥� always assume it鈥檚 live unless, or until, the owner of the line has confirmed that it鈥檚 dead.
  • When machinery is in contact with an overhead line, anyone who touches both the machinery and the ground can be electrocuted. Stay in the machinery and lower raised parts in contact with the line or drive the machinery out of the line if you can.
  • If you need to get out, to call for help or because of fire, don鈥檛 climb out in the usual way 鈥� jump out as far as possible, without touching the line or the machinery, and don鈥檛 touch any part of the machinery when on the ground; you must jump clear making leaping strides, so that one foot is off the ground at all times until you are at least five metres away.
  • Call 105 and ask us to disconnect the supply. Even if the line appears dead, don鈥檛 touch it as automatic switching may reconnect the power.

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