The National Grid is aiming to achieve world-class levels of health and safety by 2015, and electric cable strike avoidance is one of their biggest priorities. Accidentally hitting cables during excavation can cause serious injury and even deaths - yet those out in the field are some of the most difficult to reach and engage with.
A new Take CARE campaign was created by WPA Pinfold, using the acronym for ‘Cable Avoidance Risk Elimination’ to raise awareness. Materials passed out to management and operations teams included fold-out z-card guides, a ring-bound aide memoire with handy hints and on-site risk assessment notepads.
The initiative has led to a 31% reduction in cable strikes - 84 potential incidents avoided - and has given the National Grid an almost unblemished safety record. Just one minor injury was recorded over the nine months following the start of the campaign - and zero fatalities.
