Ag students given life-saving power advice
2nd February 2023
Farmers of the future were given potentially life-saving advice from UK Power Networks, during a visit to Hadlow College in Kent.
Seventy agricultural students at Hadlow College were warned about the dangers of working on farms where there are overhead cables. The electricity distributor’s safety team warned students to always look out for high voltage overhead cables when driving machinery.
Every year UK Power Networks, which delivers electricity across the South East, engages with around 250,000 people of all ages on public safety.
Ros Forbes, a safety advisor at UK Power Networks, said: “It is important for us to go out into the local community and deliver our messaging direct.
“We want to prompt collaborative working and positive conversations about safety which, ultimately, will help save lives if extra care is taken around power lines.
“Our advice is always to be vigilant, to look up and around to see what electrical equipment is near you if driving or using agricultural machinery.”
Ronnie Townsend, from Hadlow College added: “These workshops are so beneficial to our agriculture and land-based technology students, highlighting the dangers of overhead cables and electrical hazards in a farming environment. Many of them already work on farms and others are shortly having placements, so it’s vital information.”
