Safety advice for fishing and angling

Fishing safety advice

Look up, look out

Anglers can put themselves in danger by fishing too close to overhead lines.  Every year anglers fishing without caution can suffer electric shocks and burns from overhead lines. 

Important facts about overhead lines

1. Overhead lines are normally uninsulated and carried mostly on wooden poles at a height of 5.2 m (17ft).
2. Overhead lines can sometimes be dangerously mistaken for telephone wires.  Look out for yellow danger notices fitted to poles and pylons as they are there for your safety.
3. At higher voltages electricity will jump through the air so it is not necessary to touch an overhead line to suffer an electric shock.
4. Most fishing rods will conduct electricity, especially those containing carbon fibres.

Stay safe follow these steps

By following a few important safety steps anglers can avoid injury and happily cast away:

• Always look up and look out for overhead lines before rods are assembled or 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 kept to avoid accidental contact.
• Fish at least 30 metres (100ft) away from all overhead lines. You can measure this along the ground..
• Contact or near contact with any electrical equipment must be avoided.  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, they may not be able to calculate the safe distance required.

via nie.co.uk

≈~≈The Daily Catch Team≈~≈

THE DAILY CATCH http://fishingnews.posterous.com/safety-advice-for-fishing-and-angling Fishing safety advice Look up, look out Anglers can put themselves in danger by fishing too close to overhead lines.  Every year anglers fishing without caution can suffer electric shocks and burns from overhead lines.  Important facts about overhead lines Overhead lines are normally uninsulated and ...