News Detail

Electricity bosses are appealing to schools to screen a hard-hitting safety presentation in a bid to prevent pupils suffering life-threatening injuries.

CE Electric UK - the company responsible for distributing electricity across Yorkshire, northern Lincolnshire and the North East – says that children across the region continue to put their lives on the line by entering substations, climbing pylons and fishing and flying kites near overhead power lines, despite a major safety campaign.

The company has just posted the CD - which contains a presentation, video footage and follow-up resources devised by a teacher - to all 654 secondary schools covered by their electricity network in the hope that the safety messages will help to save lives.

Paul Norton, head of safety at CE Electric UK, said “We display Danger of Death warning signs on all our electricity poles and pylons and on substations, we deliver over 1,000 school safety presentations each year and we work with the media to promote our vital safety messages.

“But tragically, despite our efforts, last year a teenager in South Yorkshire died after climbing an electricity pylon on our electricity network and another in Teesside received horrific electrical burns.  We believe that one life lost is one too many and we will continue to do all we can to drive home our Stay Away, Stay Alive message.”

Schools who give feedback about the DVD before the end of the month will be entered into a draw for £300 W H Smiths vouchers for their school.

Only last year, CE Electric UK welcomed former policewoman Leena Markovič to head up its Stay Away, Stay Alive campaign across Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire whilst pupils in the North East continue to benefit from multi-agency safety events.

The company also hosts safety-themed website, the Fusebox, which offers children games and quizzes to put what they have learned into practice.  This can be accessed via the front page of the www.ce-electricuk.com website.

Teachers who would like to book a presentation for their school are advised to telephone Leena on 07921 112134.

Ends

20-01-2009