As the country prepares for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the UK’s biggest electricity distributor has warned Essex people putting up the bunting to stay safe.
Thousands of street parties are expected to be organised for early June as part of an extended bank holiday weekend to mark the Jubilee.
Putting up bunting and other decorations, as well bringing in temporary structures such as small marquees, are likely to be on the to-do list for those in charge of the party planning.
UK Power Networks, which distributes electricity across London, the South East and East of England, wants everyone to enjoy themselves safely at community events and that means staying aware of what is around them, such as electricity service cables and overhead power lines.
Debbie Chachulski, a safety advisor at UK Power Networks, said: “Contact with electricity can result in serious burns or even result in a fatality. Every year people are seriously injured after contact with electricity so people’s thought process around the Jubilee still has to consider their personal safety.
“Putting up bunting or other decorations is part of the fun and we want everybody to enjoy the national celebration that is the extended Jubilee long weekend as it’s a feelgood occasion for all. There is understandably going to be a lot of excitement and national pride.
“Our concern, however, is that the risks of working at height still need to be taken seriously, so party organisers need to be aware of service and overhead power cables around properties when using ladders and hanging bunting and ensure they assess the risks to avoid contact with them.”
Her Majesty the Queen will become the first British monarch to reach a platinum Jubilee marking 70 years of service after acceding to the throne aged 25 in February 1952. The Bank Holiday dates are June 2 and 3.
