The dangers of overhead power lines has been highlighted in a hard-hitting story which nearly claimed the life of a Cornish father and farmer.
Ian Davey had a near fatal incident when a snap decision during combining had life changing consequences.
Arriving at the field with his tractor and trailer to collect the grain from the combine, Ian found that he had five minutes to spare and decided to tip the trailer into the air, facing it into the sun to dry the floor and help prevent the grain from getting wet.
Unbeknown to him, the trailer had touched the power line and, as he got out of the tractor cab, stepping on to the ground and holding the metal door, 11,000 volts of electricity shot through him.
Ian said: “Farming can be a dangerous occupation, and there is so much to do that we rush – but that is when accidents happen. The trailer I was in had touched a power line and, as I stepped out of the tractor cab holding the metal door, 11,000 volts shot through my body.
“I was literally stuck to the spot,” he said. “It was about three or four minutes after that when the front tyre of the tractor caught fire. Even though the power hadn’t killed me, if I hadn’t managed to break free then the fire would have.”
“The power surge dislocated my shoulder and shattered my arm. Doctors told me that it looked as though somebody had smashed the bone with a sledgehammer.
“It took almost leaving behind my two children and wife to mean I’m now careful and cautious on the farm, always thinking twice before doing anything. Things could have been different for me had I known the advice within Look Out Look Up!.
“If the campaign helps even one farmer avoid a potentially fatal contact with an overhead power line, then it is absolutely worth it."
Look Out, Look Up!
Ian nearly left behind his wife and two children – a boy of nearly three and a girl of six months.
He was in hospital for almost a week and then convalescing for another six, which meant that it was a tough time for his wife, Helen.
Not only was she concerned for her husband, but she had two young children to look after and a busy farm to run.
“I had all the cattle, sheep and two flocks of free range hens to look after and the harvest still needed to be finished. It was a bit of a nightmare but our friends and neighbours were a great help and support.”
One person dies per year in the agricultural industry when working too close to overhead power lines, according to a new campaign which aims to highlight its dangers.
In addition, there were also 1,140 near-miss incidents involving machinery and equipment contacting overhead electric power lines where serious injury or death was a possibility in the last five years.
