A farmer, a sprayer and a 20kV pole: ESB Networks lists the season's near-misses

One distracted farmer, one spray pass, one 20kV pole on the ground. That single incident from an Irish field this year is the sharpest item in ESB Networks' Autumn Safety Series 2026, and it could have ended very differently.

The line, ESB Networks notes, could easily have come down on the cab and stayed live, putting both the driver and anyone nearby at risk of electrocution. Instead, it's a lesson. The utility's public safety manager, Claire Mulholland, has catalogued a season's worth of similar near-misses, and the pattern is grimly familiar: machines meeting poles, hedge cutters meeting stay wires, slurry meeting overhead lines.

Her message is simple. "Always contact ESB Networks if you have a concern." The 24-hour emergency number is 1800 372 999, and ESB Networks wants it saved in every farmer's phone today.

What went right this year?

Not every incident ended badly. One agricultural contractor cutting silage noticed a wire hanging too low in part of a field. He rang the emergency number, and ESB Networks solved the problem before anyone got hurt.

That, says Mulholland, is the template. Do not wait and hope the next person who comes across a potential issue will report it. They usually don't.

Tree and hedge cutting: clear the stay first

In a separate case, a hedge cutter struck the stay wire on a pole, causing the pole to lean forward. The height of the wires crossing a road dropped significantly, creating the genuine danger of a road traffic accident alongside the electrocution risk.

The fix costs minutes. Clear the area around the pole and the stay wire before the machine goes anywhere near it. And if wires are too close, or if there's any risk a tree or branches could fall onto them, contact ESB Networks before cutting starts. Not after.

Machinery: the recurring headline

ESB Networks says there continue to be too many incidents where farm machines crash into poles. The spraying case is the example. A moment's distraction, a 20kV pole knocked flat, wires tripped out.

The advice is blunt. Focus on the task at hand. Steer clear of poles and stays.

And if the worst happens anyway? Stay in the cab. Keep others away. Call 1800 372 999 immediately.

Slurry: the liquid conductor nobody thinks about

In another incident, a farmer was spreading slurry with the splash plate facing upwards, and the liquid came close to an overhead power line. Electricity could have jumped from the wires and travelled back to the vehicle, using the slurry itself as a conductor.

The precaution costs nothing. Look out and look up. Keep clear. And ask the question ESB Networks wants asked before every job near wires: "Are you sure it's safe?"

Electric fences: yes, this happened

ESB Networks discovered an electric fence wire tied onto a pole, close to the bottom of a 10kV transformer, apparently to get clearance for the fence over a yard used for deliveries.

Using ESB poles and live wires to carry electric fencers is highly dangerous, and every ESB pole carries a visible DANGER NOTICE reading "DANGER – KEEP AWAY". It is not decorative.

Storm season is arriving earlier

The storm season is coming earlier each year, ESB Networks says, and severe weather will bring wires down to the ground or leave them hanging low on ditches, gates and fences. The core rule: electricity wires are always live, and anything they touch, including the nearby ground, will be live too.

Stay safe, stay clear, and phone the emergency number at once.

Has your farm wiring been checked?

The autumn push isn't only about overhead lines. Many sheds have sat unused since spring, and ESB Networks wants the wiring, light fittings and sockets inspected before they're pressed back into service.

Key checks:

• Push the "test" button on your residual current device (RCD) to confirm it trips, then reset it.
• Replace damaged equipment, including anything with frayed wiring or broken and missing covers.
• Use fittings rated for outdoor and wet or dusty conditions, with the correct Ingress Protection (IP) rating.
• Have the whole installation checked by a registered electrical contractor, and use one for any new farm wiring work.

What does this change for farmers?

Realistically, three habits. Save 1800 372 999 in your phone now, before you need it. Look up before every pass, cut and spread near infrastructure. And download the ESB Networks Farm Safety Booklet, the utility's go-to guidance for farmers, contractors and rural workers on working around electricity, from timber cutting to moving machinery.

Storm season is early this year. The phone call, ESB Networks notes, could make all the difference.