The health and safety responsibilities of Distribution Companies as stipulated in NERC’s Health and Safety Code and Health and Safety Standard Manuals are as follows –
- Employees or workers of DisCos are to be provided personal protective equipment (e.g. helmets, power boots, insulated gloves, and safety belts).
- Only trained and competent personnel should be assigned to activities involving electricity.
- Safety equipment must be sufficient and adequate for their purpose.
- The public must be protected from undue exposure to danger from the operation of power installation equipment.
- Hazard or warning signs are required at high-voltage installations.
- High-voltage installations should be cordoned off.
- Public enlightenment on the dangers of activities by the public near these installations must be disseminated.
- Overhead lines must have standard clearances from the ground and be properly tensioned.
- Insulated service lines should terminate at a building at a height not less than 2.7 meters from the ground.
- Underground cables must be laid at standard specified depths and the route identified with appropriately labelled markers.
- All surroundings of an installation should be cleared of undergrowth.
- A general notification of at least 8 hours prior to the commencement of work in an area should be given and the area cordoned off with caution signs and notices.
- Electricity wires are to be separated from telecommunication wires.
