Bright Sparks is a new feature on our website, aiming to help our younger site visitors understand electricity and be electricity safety conscious.

Question : Why is it that birds can sit on power lines and not get an electric shock ?

Answer: It's because electricity running through the lines is always looking for a way to get to the ground, but the birds are not touching anything in contact with the ground. If you touched a power line while you were in contact with the ground (or standing on a ladder, tree or roof that was touching the ground ) electricity would travel through you. Equally, if your kite or balloon got tangled in a power line and you touched the string, electricity could travel down the string and into you on it's way to the ground. Both situations would mean a very serious electric shock.

People such as Marlborough Lines linesmen, who work up on power lines don't get electric shocks because they are specially trained to work with electricity. They wear special insulated boots, hardhats, and gloves, and use insulated tools that help prevent shock.

Question : Water and Electricity Don’t Mix – Why?

Answer:
• Water is a good conductor of electricity. A person with wet hands and feet, who is exposed to electrical   circuits, is at an increased risk of being injured.
• Using electrical equipment or appliances in wet locations requires special precautions and the use of specialized equipment such as Residual Current Devices (RCDs). Always check with an adult before using anything electrical around water or wet ground.
• A person who is standing in water and who makes contact with an electrical circuit or panel could receive a fatal electrical shock.
• Water rising above the level of electrical equipment or appliances could become energized creating a hazard for anyone stepping into the water.
• In a flooding situation, the main power switch at the switchboard should be turned off.  However this should not be done if the switchboard cannot be reached without stepping in water. Contact Marlborough Lines to have the power disconnected from outside the home.
• Flood waters may cause damage to power poles and equipment. Stay a minimum of 30 metres away from any downed wires and/or equipment and contact us immediately.