Unison urges gardeners to stay safe near power lines

WATCH OUT FOR BRANCHES: Unison has urged people to be aware of trees growing too close to powerlines. Photo/File

As temperatures soar and many people look to do some gardening over the holidays, electricity distributor Unison Networks is urging safety around electricity lines.

Unison relationship manager Danny Gough said people should be aware of the potential dangers when gardening or pruning trees near power lines.

"Summertime is often when we undertake tree trimming, maintenance, digging and general tidy-ups around the home. Please look up before you attempt to do any DIY work outside. Power lines are never safe to touch or get close to.

"Equally, if you are digging or driving stakes or waratahs into the ground, ensure you check whether any cables are buried beneath you. There have been several close calls lately with members of the public installing waratahs around network cables, both on our network and other networks, which can be lethal if the waratah comes into contact with a live underground line.

"If you are unsure, call Unison - it's always better to be safe than sorry.

"Unison may be able to arrange a temporary disconnection for safety if you are working within 4m of overhead power lines and can assist with locating underground cables on your property."

People should also be aware of trees growing too close to power lines.

"If you spot a tree growing close to power lines, Unison can arrange for a free inspection and quote from our vegetation team. The tree may be eligible to be removed or trimmed at our cost if we have not cut it before."

Mr Gough said trees and branches hitting power lines caused about 20 per cent of unplanned power cuts.

"Last summer around 20,000 customers experienced an outage over the three months due to vegetation faults on Unison's network. Keeping trees at least 4m from the network helps to keep everyone safe and the power on."

Customers with trees that need urgent attention, who would like a safety disconnection or to locate underground cables should call 0800 2 UNISON or visit the website www.unison.co.nz.