New Driver Training Module Highlights Dangers of Overhead Cables

E-Training World has launched a new driver training module focused on the dangers of overhead cables for HGV drivers. Overhead cables and HGVs are a hazardous combination because high-sided vehicles, tipping trailers, cranes, and other tall equipment can easily come into contact with live power lines.

Even getting close to a cable can cause an electrical arc, leading to severe injury, fire, or fatalities. It is essential that HGV operators plan routes, know vehicle heights, and follow GS6 safety guidance to avoid accidental contact.

E-Training World’s new online driver training module is specifically designed to train drivers on the potential risks posed by overhead cables and provides clear, practical guidance on what action to take if they suspect they may have been impacted by an overhead cable.

“Drivers often underestimate just how invisible overhead cables can be,” comments Graham Hurdle, managing director of E-Training World. “They blend into the sky and are harder to spot in rain, fog or low sun. When a driver is focused on the load or the task ahead, it’s easy to overlook what’s above. That moment of distraction is all it takes to enter a dangerous zone.

Weather, temperature and even the age of the cable can all affect how high a cable sits. A line that was safe last week might be lower today, and that small change can be enough to put a driver and their vehicle at risk.

Employers must equip their HGV drivers with the skills to react in a potentially life-threatening situation if their vehicle makes contact with a power line. Staying calm, staying inside and keeping others away can save lives.”

E-Training World is the company that pioneered online driver profiling and training. As well as serving some of the largest fleet operators in the UK, they provide branded/white-labelled systems to many of the best-known companies in the fleet sector. These include insurance companies, fleet management specialists, accident management providers, driver training businesses, vehicle rental specialists and other fleet sector suppliers.