Look Up, Look Out Safety advice for anglers

Every year making contact with overhead power lines causes electric shocks, severe burn injuries and sometimes death.

Anglers can inadvertently put themselves in danger by fishing too close to the overhead electricity network.

• Many rods and poles made of metal, carbon fibre or similar materials will conduct electricity. Many other materials – such as nylon line – will allow electricity to flow along them when wet.
• At higher voltages electricity may jump short distances through the air - tackle does not have to touch a power line for anyone holding it to be affected.
• Look out for overhead power line warning notices and signs prohibiting camping in certain areas of the site – they have been put there to ensure your safety.
• By following a few safety precautions anglers can avoid injury during the fishing season and happily cast away.
• Overhead power lines are most commonly supported on wooden poles normally at a minimum height of 5.2 metres, at voltages between 230 volts and 132,000 volts.

The wooden poles are often dangerously mistaken for telephone wires. Power lines normally have yellow ‘Danger of Death’ notices fitted to the poles or towers. To ensure your safety, all overhead lines should be treated as electric power lines and considered dangerous.

You can stay safe by following some simple precautions

• Always look out and look up for overhead lines before rods are assembled and before fishing begins.
• It is not easy to estimate the heights and distances of overhead lines from the ground and an adequate safety distance must be must be kept to avoid accidental contact.
• Fish at least 30 metres (100ft) horizontally away from all overhead lines.
• Contact or near contact must be avoided as it is extremely dangerous, particularly if the object is an electrical conductor, for example a rod or pole, lead coated fishing line or even a damp nylon line.
• If you own, lease or make fishing waters available where overhead lines are present, please ensure visible safety signs have been erected.
• Always tell children never to fish near overhead lines as they may not be able to calculate the distance required.

A safety leaflet for anglers is available to download below

Angling safely   (PDF 1107 KB)

Remember all the dangers.

Look up, look out.