04 Nov UK Power Networks educate Essex pupils how to stay safe around electricity
Essex schoolchildren received potentially life-saving advice on staying safe around electricity from a local power company.
Safety advisors from UK Power Networks, which distributes electricity across the East of England, made a special visit to the St Peter’s School in Brentwood.
The focus was on the importance of the power network in everyday life and why it matters to be aware of the dangers of high voltage electricity.
UK Power Networks engages with around 250,000 people of all ages each year on public safety and met with both Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils across two sessions.
Nathan Hughes, a safety advisor at UK Power Networks, said: “It is important for us to go out into the local community and deliver our messaging direct.
“There was a lot of interest from the pupils in learning more about electricity which was brilliant to see and we were able to share some important safety messaging, such as never entering substations to retrieve items and looking up for cables when kite flying.
“Electricity does a great deal of good, it powers industry and our homes, but we want young people to be aware of the need to stay safe around the network and avoid contact with high voltage electricity.
“The session included a general overview of our distribution network, raising safety awareness of our assets and how to behave around them as well as signposting for Danger of Death signs and the 105 number in case of an emergency.”
Iain Gunn, headteacher of St Peter’s school, said: “I want to thank UK Power Networks for its staff’s time and energy delivering the safety talk to the children at St Peter’s.
“It was fantastic and both sessions were at just the right level. They made it interesting, fun and most importantly memorable.
“The children were inspired, and we have a few who, I think, will now consider this as a career. It was not only essential in terms of safety, but also really helped with our science curriculum.”
