Does this electric pole look safe to you?

[Jungle Bill]

1) Find the correct contact point and send them an email with photos and make sure you keep a copy.
2) If no response forthcoming, are you on Twitter? Put these photos up with SSE tagged in your post and wait for a reaction....

Thanks for all the replies.

I've tweeted photos to all their accounts, also copied in HSE and had lots of words back saying not a lot except they can't do anything about it.

I thought about a fence around it but I would probably then be told they needed a gate as they aren't allowed to climb fences anymore.

Maybe need to encourage the beavers to visit.

 

[caveman]

I'm sure the network provider wouldn't be very happy with that.
I had to build a kiosk for UK power networks to put an underground line into.
At the very least as far as your concerned. It should be stock proof fenced and a higher pole payment. .

 

[DrWazzock]

I don't know the full situation here but in my opinion:

In the UK power network "low" voltage is 230V to Earth or 415V between phases so it's plenty high enough to kill a person never mind a cow.

The cabinet should have a voltage warning sign on it and should be locked as a minimum.

It should have suitable barrier around it or be positioned so as to avoid interference by livestock.

The location and set up look completely wrong to me, but I am not aware of the entire situation.

 

[MickMoor]

Erect a suitable guard, bill them for the work, stating clearly why it was necessary, referring back to your earlier emails/letters explaining it is unsafe. Ask for payment in 30 days. If not forthcoming, use Thomas Higgins.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

I take it they use concrete poles so the termites dont eat them

No , most power poles here up to late 60's/early 70's were wood , but aussie hardwood, they could be half gone but still OK, some pine power poles are used , but even treated, ,still rot at or below ground level, hence concrete power poles are used. Never seen termite damage here , but bora can be a problem.
Virtually ever power pole that I saw in Canada was ....... wood

 

[PostHarvest]

I'd write to SSE and Scottish Water telling them that the standard of work is not acceptable as it is not secure and unsafe and that you hold SSE fully responsible for any injury to your livestock.

 

[foxbox]

View attachment 554878
View attachment 554882
SSE have been putting in a new supply to my neighbour, Scottish Water. As part of the work they have upgraded the switches, including this box on a pole in my field of cows and calves. It has cables coming out the bottom and as you can see it's at the ideal height for a scratch. It's also not locked, so easy enough to open and play with the controls.

I've told them I'm not happy and holding them responsible but have been told that's how they always do it, it's only low voltage (?) and tried to talk me into letting them leave it as it is.

Does anyone know anything about these boxes? Are they really safe?

And to top it all they left the gate open in the hurry to pack up on Friday afternoon...

Is that a big red stop button in there? What happens when the man who looks in the box pushes it?

 

[Princess Pooper]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've tweeted photos to all their accounts, also copied in HSE and had lots of words back saying not a lot except they can't do anything about it.

I thought about a fence around it but I would probably then be told they needed a gate as they aren't allowed to climb fences anymore.

Maybe need to encourage the beavers to visit.

Try adding #farmsafetyweek and #LensLeg and tag them in it rather than tweeting directly to them - will get a lot of retweets then!

 

[Alicecow]

All the above, and a chain on the gate to stop them leaving it open.
£100 per hour for your time.

Makes a mockery of the fuss the electricity company made about the meter being changed (in another thread).

 

[caveman]

Somebody should be for the high jump on this installation.
Either the person responsible for producing the spec or the troops on the ground who haven't followed the spec.

 

[Cowabunga]

Erect a suitable guard, bill them for the work, stating clearly why it was necessary, referring back to your earlier emails/letters explaining it is unsafe. Ask for payment in 30 days. If not forthcoming, use Thomas Higgins.

Don't bill them for the work, bill them a leasehold rent for the fence, doubling every five years. They already pay a regular rent for placing the post there, or they should, so they should also pay extra for any protective fence and the land occupied by it.

Otherwise tell them to remove their fecking electricity post in 14 days as they have breached their contract with you.

 

[joe soapy]

The poster is in Scotland, its easy to understand why an engineer in a skirt would not want to mount it too high

 

[JCMaloney]

That looks a prime case for a terrible accident......once you have notified them in writing of your concerns.

Said "terrible accident" could include many. or all, of the previous suggestions!

 

[Nearly]

That looks a prime case for a terrible accident......once you have notified them in writing of your concerns.

Said "terrible accident" could include many. or all, of the previous suggestions!

The next time a cow dies from some mystery illness then it may have bumped into the box and electrocuted itself, even if it's a mile or so away from the post.
Jump leads and then claim?

 

[Av Gorritt]

I might be very wary of fencing it myself . If anyone or any beast got hurt afterwards , in this litigious day and age , somebody would have to be responsible . (and it might be you ? )

 

[Jungle Bill]

Translation needed, someone from SSE is going to swing by tomorrow and see if he can escalate it up the tree, told him I just wanted it moved. He suggested he could move it into the next field, that's mine too...

 

[Rossymons]

I might be very wary of fencing it myself . If anyone or any beast got hurt afterwards , in this litigious day and age , somebody would have to be responsible . (and it might be you ? )

Absolutely. Kick up a stink and don't let them off the hook.

 

[thesilentone]

Certainly looks at risk of damage, I would.

1) As a local LV specialist to do a risk assessment, keep their details confidential, but use the content.
2) Using the risk assessment as supporting evidence, inform SSE you intend to have site survey carried out, and a fence, with gates constructed around the risk. give them the chance to do this work.
3) Inform them you will be informing your insurers about the additional risk.
4) Tell them all costs incurred will be passed on to them, and any additional costs from here-on.
5) Give them 7 days to respond.

Approx costs could be: Site risk assessment £1200, work required: £1500, additional insurance premium £400 Admin £250.

total: £3350.00
annual maintenance £150.00 year.

That may get their attention....

 

[Princess Pooper]

Isn't there a pole on Scottish Water's bit that they can fix it to?

 

[Cowabunga]

Isn't there a pole on Scottish Water's bit that they can fix it to?

That's probably too risky for them.