Electrical hazards in fishing

Did you know?

Power lines passing over or near bodies of water can pose a serious risk to your fishing trip.

Fishing rods made of carbon or graphite fiber, or other materials when wet or dirty (fiberglass, bamboo, kevlar, etc.) are electrically conductive.

Lines made of steel or other materials when wet can also conduct current. Therefore, if you bring them close to the wires of power lines, they can produce discharges that can affect you and the people near you.

It is not necessary to touch a conductor directly for an electric shock to occur.

Effects due to current passage

• Death due to ventricular fibrillation
• Death due to ventricular fibrillation
• Muscle tetanization (sticking)
• Internal and external burns (fatal and non-fatal)
• Embolisms due to blood electrolysis
• High frequency burns

Non-current effects

• Electric arc burns, particle projections, etc.
• Ophthalmological injuries due to electric arcs (conjunctivitis, blindness).
• Fires and explosions

Danger distance

• You can be electrocuted without touching a live element, since by bringing a conductive material (watch, buckles, chains, rings, tools…) close to the voltage source, you could suffer the effects of the passage of electric current.

Good practices

Tips to avoid risk in your work

• Before you start fishing, visually locate the line conductors.
• Sometimes the wiring will be more difficult to see because of the light or the landscape.
• If there are power lines, the safest preventive measure is to look for another location to make fishing casts, given their difficulty and difficult precision.
• If you decide to stay close to a line, the minimum safe distance should be three times the length of the rod.
• You have to take into account your height, your position, the length of the fishing rod as well as the water level.
• If you go fishing with company, be aware of the proximity of the power line.

What to do in case of a cable fall

• Report the incident to 112.
• Do not touch or approach the cable, neither you nor the rest of the personnel in the area.
• Move away with very short steps or jumping.

Safety distances to respect

Before deciding to fish in proximity to electrical installations, you must know the safety distances:

• Visualize electrical installations well to avoid approaching them, both horizontally and vertically.
• Do not invade the safety distances of electrical installations with your body, machinery or other equipment, as they are an extension of your body.
• If you cannot respect or guarantee these distances, stop the activity and contact the distribution company (UFD 900 11 999).

Antes de decidir pescar en proximidad a instalaciones eléctricas, debes conocer las distancias de seguridad:

• Visualiza bien las instalaciones eléctricas para evitar aproximarte a ellas, tanto horizontal como verticalmente.
• No se deben invadir las distancias de seguridad de las instalaciones eléctricas ni con el cuerpo, ni con elementos de la maquinaria u otros equipos ya que son una prolongación de tu cuerpo.
• Si no puedes respetar ni garantizar estas distancias detén la actividad y contacta con la empresa distribuidora (UFD 900 11 999).

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