We’re delighted to announce our partnership with the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC), which will see us work together to highlight the importance of working safely near our gas pipelines.
This week is Farm Safety Week, when farmers and landowners across the nation challenge the risk-taking behaviours that continue to give agriculture the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK. That’s why we want to share this important safety message with farmers and landowners.
We manage the network that distributes natural and green gas to 5.9 million customers across the south of England and in Scotland. We own and operate 74,000km of gas mains, including high pressure (HP) pipelines, which are a critical part of our national infrastructure. As these pipelines run underground across the length and breadth of the country, it's inevitable that work will need to be carried out near them at times.
The most common cause of incidents involving our gas network is damage by others. There’s a risk of damage whenever land, such as farming land, is disturbed. This includes excavation, ditching, drainage work, fence installation or anything else within the proximity of our pipelines. Not only is damaging a pipeline illegal, but the consequences can be catastrophic.
SGN Maintenance Operations Manager Tim Pearce said: “We’re delighted to partner NFYFC because we want to reach out to all its members. Please, always get in touch with us before starting any work on your land to avoid injury, or even death, to yourself and others. Damages to our pipelines can also lead to a disruption to gas supplies, claims for costs to repair the damage, HSE investigations and environmental issues.
“We’ll visit you free of charge to help you plan your work, confirm and mark the location of any pipeline, and advise what work is permitted.”
NFYFC Chairman Dewi Parry said: “NFYFC is really proud to be partnering with SGN to help us deliver important farm safety messages to our membership about working near high pressure pipelines.
“As the next generation of farmers, it's paramount that we lead by example and ensure we are practising farm safety in our work. This partnership will ensure YFC promotes best practice and highlights the preparation needed to work safely near these pipelines.”
Know what’s below before you dig
- If you're a farmer or landowner planning to carry out work which disrupts your land including excavating, ditching and drainage works, call us on 0800 912 1722. We'll visit your site free of charge to help you plan your work and mark the location of any pipelines.
- To find out where our gas pipes are located, visit linesearchbeforeudig.co.uk.