Most common causes of public electrical accidents are as result of cutting trees near high voltage electrical power lines and stepping on, touching or getting into contact with fallen power lines. As it is difficult to tell whether a power line is live or not unless measured or detected by instruments the public have fallen prey to electrical accidents because of the assumption that once the wires are down they are switched off.

Cutting trees near power lines

touching fallen power lines

In order to prevent public electrical accidents that may arise as a result of fallen poles and broken conductors, ESCOM uses a comprehensive protection scheme that detects faults and operates to switch off electricity supply. The protective equipments comprise of relays, trip circuits, current & voltage transformers, ac and dc voltages, fuses and circuit breakers. The protective equipments are installed on electrical apparatus such as transformers, overhead lines and generators. The purpose of protection scheme is primarily to switch off supply of power when there is a fault in the system with an intention of providing safety to electrical apparatus and personnel including the public. When there is a fault on the power system such as short circuits, over currents and earth faults the protective devices operate by blowing off in the case of fuses, tripping in the case of circuit breakers.

Considering the vastness of ESCOM power system inspections are carried out regularly. Power line patrols and inspections are conducted with a view of checking defects on the system for scheduled maintenance programmes. The protective system may fail due to other reasons hence ESCOM Safety and Public Relations Departments has intensified public awareness programmes through radios, TV and newspapers with the purpose of sensitizing the public on dangers associated with electricity and actions the public should take when they notice fallen poles and broken conductors or any other defects on the power system.