ESB urges caution on hidden wires

Farmers and agri contractors should beware of stay wires covered by vegetation, Arthur Byrne, public safety manager with ESB Networks, has warned.

Mr Byrne told the Farm Contractors of Ireland conference in Kilkenny that contact with hidden stay wires can do substantial damage to both machinery and the electric network.

“Contact with overhead power lines causes serious and even fatal injuries each year,” said Mr Byrne.

“The majority of accidents occur through failure to notice the lines and to take sensible precautions.

“These lines pose a particular danger when silage or cereals are being harvested. When loading or stacking bales of hay or straw, take precautions to ensure equipment does not come into contact with power lines.”