Barking99 Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Hi I recently paid a fortune to have an electric pole removed off my land to my boundary. After a couple of electric shocks received around the pole we got Uk power networks out to investigate.:- OMPLETED by user on 00:31:21 for operation 0010 - Investigate & Repair Reason Code : Smoking/steam from the ground found to be a faulty connection on the overhead network. Pole/PME earth had been connected to L3. So earth pin was live in the ground. Airline report already raised,R/0000670. Linesman have renewed the earth connection on the earth pin and connected it to the neutral up the pole.458238. Supplies isolated while work was done. LV This was the report I managed to receive after initially refusing to give me it. Can anyone tell me what this means or how dangerous it could of been. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Can be terminal for a horse. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/9400599.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Yes basically the linesman cocked up and instead of burying a pigtail of copper wire connected to the earth, he had connected the pigtail to one of the Live conductors. There would have been a continual current passing through that limited only by how wet the ground was and therefore what the earth impedance was. And that current would have been warming up the ground hence causing the steam. I hope someone got a good talking to,. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking99 Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 Thanks for explaining. Yes I was digging and planting shrubs near to pole when I got a couple of shocks. Also watering them in when the steam was coming through the ground. Wasn’t injured but could it have been worse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSharp01 Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 1 hour ago, Barking99 said: Wasn’t injured but could it have been worse? Yes much worse 😧 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking99 Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 Thanks. After spending £20,000 to have it removed and repositioned etc you expect the work to be done properly and not potentially kill you. Uk power networks seem to think they can brush it off as nothing and you’re okay. My grandkids were helping me plant the shrubs which is the scary thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 5 minutes ago, Barking99 said: After spending £20,000 to have it removed and repositioned etc you expect the work to be done properly and not potentially kill you. Despite what you paid I would expect “professionals” working on lethal power cables to do their job properly and safely. 7 minutes ago, Barking99 said: Uk power networks seem to think they can brush it off as nothing There should be a mechanism to hold them accountable, perhaps telling the press will make them think twice? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Aren’t these reportable to HSE via RIDDOR? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 What do you want to happen? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 4 hours ago, Barking99 said: Yes I was digging and planting shrubs near to pole when I got a couple of shocks. Also watering them in when the steam was coming through the ground. Wasn’t injured but could it have been worse? Lucky escape. Buy a lottery ticket this week. 2 hours ago, Barking99 said: Uk power networks seem to think they can brush it off as nothing and you’re okay. My grandkids were helping me plant the shrubs which is the scary thing My wife hit the end of a pipe that rolled off the verge into the road while it was being dragged along the verge. Damaged a wheel and tyre. The water companies contractor offered to pay for the damage, sent a nice apology and a hamper! I would submit a formal complaint sent recorded delivery and keep a copy. It's up to you what you put in the letter but I would point out that you did recieve an actual electric shock and that you and your grand children may owe your life to your rubber soled Welington boots (substitute whatever footwear you were wearing). Ask for an apology and details of what action has been taken against the person responsible (retraining?) and a copy of any report made to the HSE. I would add a note saying something like "At the present time I will not be taking legal action but we reserve the right to do so unless an adequate response is recieved". This just my personal opinion, I'm not a lawyer or solicitor. I'm kinda surprised you haven't been phoned up by the no win no fee ambulance chasers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 1 hour ago, Temp said: a copy of any report made to the HSE That will spur them into action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuerteStu Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) I had a linesman doing a pot end on a supply removal tell me one of his colleagues had a slap on the wrist for something similar.. Live to earth on a pole transformer that caused a fire. He said the landowner got 25k and an NDA from network power. His colleague had an eye test and a questionnaire and supervision for a few weeks. Your problem is that there is no damage to the property, or long term effects from the buzz you got. Edited October 1, 2023 by FuerteStu 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattg4321 Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 You were extremely lucky. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking99 Posted October 2, 2023 Author Share Posted October 2, 2023 Thank you all. Thankfully🙏 no one was injured but if I hadn’t had those shocks and alerted Uk power it could of been worse at a later date. As it wasn’t going to fix itself. Im just abit annoyed that they seem to brush it off. Although I think they have had an internal enquiry. I met another linesman doing a job for me a few weeks after and mentioned it. He said it was the talk of the network and he’d actually checked that he wasn’t anything to do with it. They have offered a £500 goodwill gesture! But when you’ve paid over £20,000 for someone to do a professional job and they haven’t it seems abit of a slap in the face. There was no wayleave in place. So we shouldn’t of had to pay in the first place but got the usual ‘it could take up to 2 years’ It’s just annoying how these large companies get away it. I will probably accept the goodwill gesture but I was just posting to ask other opinions on how serious it was as Uk power seem to make out it’s no big thing. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 I would want the £20,000 back. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Barking99 said: I will probably accept the goodwill gesture If you claim for a total write off for a car, you never, ever, accept the first offer. Jenny Tong got the electrical rules changed after her daughter was killed by incorrect wiring. Edited October 2, 2023 by SteamyTea 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 (edited) Absolutely do not accept their goodwill gesture. If you do, they will breathe a sigh of relief. If it’s compensation you’re after you need to play hardball. After all their mistake could have killed you or someone else in your family. You need to get the email address of the most senior person you can find but I’d aim for the CEO and write to them. By way of comparison. I complained to Greg Jackson of Octopus after their utter shambles of a meter install that dragged on for months. Their total compensation ended up at £250 and I didn’t need to push that hard to get it. Edited October 2, 2023 by Kelvin 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 24 minutes ago, Barking99 said: There was no wayleave in place. So we shouldn’t of had to pay in the first place but got the usual ‘it could take up to 2 years’ In that case push for it all back 👍 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking99 Posted October 2, 2023 Author Share Posted October 2, 2023 This happened last year and I haven’t accepted yet. I did actually try and push it further but other than going to costly solicitors I really don’t know what to do. It’s kind of the principle more than anything now (compensation would be nice aswell). It annoys me that they tried to hide it from me in the first place and then offer a goodwill gesture as if it was a minor incident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 Get ChatGPT to draft a response and post it up here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 Who was the most senior person you spoke with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking99 Posted October 2, 2023 Author Share Posted October 2, 2023 Good Afternoon Sorry for my delayed response. As per our previous emails we have fully investigated the matter and apologise for the concerns caused, however, the offer of £500 is our final position. Many thanks Ben Ben Akers Senior Customer Care Executive Tel: 0203 660 2018 Tel: 07875 119 571 Ben.akers@ukpowernetworks.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 He isn’t any kind of decision maker. Here’s the board. It won’t be hard to find their email addresses. Email the CEO and copy the customer services guy and the health and safety guy in your email. https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/our-company/meet-our-executive-management-team Here’s a link to their safety advice https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/safety-equipment/advice/living-next-to-electrical-equipment You need to lay it on thick about the health and safety concerns, mention the grand kids etc. Use their words against them (my favourite tactic) by that I mean read their website and all the horse shit companies write and reference this in your email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerN Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 3 hours ago, Barking99 said: There was no wayleave in place. So we shouldn’t of had to pay in the first place but got the usual ‘it could take up to 2 years’ I As you say , you shouldn't have had to pay in the first place, so the full amount back seems reasonable to me. Did the pole supply just you , or just run across your land as part of the mains. I have a pole in the middle of my garden I want moved, but its a spur supplying just me and one other so they are saying I would have to pay full cost to have it moved. Again no wayleave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking99 Posted October 2, 2023 Author Share Posted October 2, 2023 It was going across a plot of land to supply one neighboring house. All the rest of the houses are cabled underground. My daughter has a cable to the side of her house which then goes onto supply 2 other houses. She has to pay to have it removed but the other 2 houses get underground cabling and inside electrical work for free. I’m sure she also got the option of it being removed for free but all work would be put on a 2 year waiting list as it wouldn’t be prioritized Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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