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Cable danger for Malvern homes?
A BUILDER from Malvern is warning homeowners that there could be live electricity cables just a few inches under the ground in their gardens.
Roy Winwood, of Stocks Lane, Newland, discovered a cable bringing electricity to his home just six inches below the surface when a sub-contractor evacuated part of his garden in preparation for an extension.
They contacted Central Networks, which is responsible for the cables in the Midlands and staff were sent out to repair it.
The work went on late into the night, but when Mr Winwood went out the next morning he found the cable had not been buried deeper as he expected.
He said: "It is a serious health and safety issue. My wife is a keen gardener and she could have gone straight through the cable."
Mr Winwood added that he was concerned the same thing could happen at other properties in the area.
A spokesman for Central Networks said: "The recommended depth for underground cables in people's homes is 18 inches.
"All our new and replacement cables are laid at this, but the depth should never be assumed."
9:54am Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Steve Price, Malvern on 1:56pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Seeing as how we are supposed to put fence posts in 2 foot deep, 18 inches seems a little shallow for safety.
Six inches is extremely dangerous, it is possible that earth gets removed and never replaced during landscaping works.
Seeing as how we are supposed to put fence posts in 2 foot deep, 18 inches seems a little shallow for safety.
Six inches is extremely dangerous, it is possible that earth gets removed and never replaced during landscaping works.
Posted by: M@lvernite, UK on 10:12pm Sun 30 Mar 08
This is obviously an important story, hence being published twice.
As I understand it, the building regs require cables to be buried at a minimum depth of 500mm, but the type of cable used for the main intake isn't the same as the kind of flex found on household appliances - according to the IEE wiring regulations reg 522-06-03 cables buried in the ground should be protected by "an earthed armour or metal sheath or both" and "marked by cable covers or a suitable marking tape".
In common sense terms unless you ignore the bright yellow warning tape and start going at the cable with a hacksaw, you should be OK.
This is obviously an important story, hence being published twice.
As I understand it, the building regs require cables to be buried at a minimum depth of 500mm, but the type of cable used for the main intake isn't the same as the kind of flex found on household appliances - according to the IEE wiring regulations reg 522-06-03 cables buried in the ground should be protected by "an earthed armour or metal sheath or both" and "marked by cable covers or a suitable marking tape".
In common sense terms unless you ignore the bright yellow warning tape and start going at the cable with a hacksaw, you should be OK.
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