Check before installation! Correct knowledge to prevent accidents with electric fences

"Electric fences" are fences that use electricity to surround fields where crops are grown. It is widely used as a countermeasure against animal damage and protects important crops from wild animals. However, there must be many people who have concerns such as, "Will accidents occur if we use electricity?"

So this time I will explain the mechanism and safety of the electric fence. We also introduce checkpoints to prevent accidents with electric fences, so please refer to them.

Accidents with electric fences can be prevented if they are used correctly

In conclusion, electric fences are safe to use if used correctly. Some people worry about injuries and deaths, but commercially available electric fences use a "pulse output format" as a mechanism to prevent accidents.

The pulse output format is a method of instantaneously passing electricity at intervals of about 1 second. Even if a person accidentally touches the fence, electricity is only generated momentarily, so it is designed to be able to leave immediately.
Static electricity is easy to imagine. Even if you accidentally touch an electric fence, there is a momentary stimulus like static electricity, but there is no risk of electric shock.

The purpose of the electric fence is to give wild animals a psychological sense of fear.

In the first place, electric fences are not intended to harm or exterminate wild animals.
The purpose is to give a shock with an electric shock that occurs momentarily when the fence is touched, and to give a sense of psychological fear. We instill a sense of caution in wild animals that ``it is dangerous if they touch that fence,'' and protect crops by keeping them out of the fields.
Since it is intended to surprise people, it is designed so that even if humans, not to mention wild animals, accidentally touch it, there will be no injuries or accidents.

In the 2015 accident, a self-made electric fence was used

Now, why are people worried about electric fences despite having such safety measures? One of the causes was the accident that occurred in Nishiizu Town, Shizuoka Prefecture.

In July 2015, in Nishiizu Town, Shizuoka Prefecture, an accident occurred in which a child was electrocuted while playing in a river when he touched an electric fence installed around a hydrangea field on the embankment to keep out pests.
Six other people who tried to help the child who was electrocuted were also electrocuted one after another, and seven were taken to the hospital. Ultimately, it was a tragic accident in which two men in their 40s died. The electric fence that caused this accident was a self-made one that was directly connected to the fence wire from a household outlet (100V) at a nearby farm equipment shed. Unlike commercially available electric fences, it did not have a safety mechanism and caused great damage.

The accident that led to the fatal accident had a large impact on society, and was caused by concerns about electric fences.
However, as mentioned above, commercially available electric fences have a mechanism to prevent accidents. In the future, in order not to repeat tragic accidents, it seems important to acquire correct knowledge about the use of electric fences and to spread commercial products with built-in safety measures.

Five checkpoints to prevent accidents with electric fences

What are some tips to prevent accidents with electric fences? Here are some points to check when purchasing an electric fence and points to note when using it.

1. Is the product subject to the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law?

The first is to check whether the product is subject to the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law.

When supplying electricity to an electric fence from a power supply (household outlet) of 30 volts or more, it is obligatory to use a power supply (body of the electric fence) that is subject to the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law. Electric fences that are covered by the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law always limit the output current, so even if you touch the electric fence, you can prevent accidents.
Products that comply with the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law are marked with the "PSE mark", so please choose an electric fence with the same mark.

2. Is an earth leakage circuit breaker installed?

Second, is an earth leakage circuit breaker installed on the electric fence? A ground fault circuit breaker is a mechanism that cuts off the circuit when an earth leakage is detected to prevent an accident.

When installing an electric fence in a place where people can easily enter, such as along a public road, it is obligatory to install a device that "cuts off the power supply within 0.1 second if a leakage of 15 milliamperes or more occurs." . Please check this when purchasing the product.

3. Is it properly displayed that the electric fence is installed?

If you install an electric fence, install a "hazard sign" in a position and interval that can be easily seen by people around you, and in easy-to-read letters.

The installation of hazard signs is also legally required, and is an important item for preventing accidents. Please make sure that the electric fence is highly visible and easy to understand at a glance so that it does not get lost in the surrounding scenery.

Click here for danger display version

Four. Is the mowing around the electric fence and management to prevent electric leakage appropriate?

The fourth is whether the management after installing the electric fence is properly done. The installation of an electric fence is not the end, but daily maintenance is important.

Make sure that there are no slack or deterioration of the wire, or the collapse of the strut. Also, check the operation of the main unit using a tester (voltage measuring instrument). In addition, let's work on mowing around the electric fence frequently.

Overgrown grass blocks the flow of electricity and prevents electric fences from functioning properly. Also, if people touch the fence without noticing it, it can lead to an unexpected accident. Tall grass is also a hiding place for wild animals, so be sure to mow it well.

Click here for a list of lawn mowers

Five. Is there cooperation and communication with local residents?

Finally, cooperation and communication with local residents is also a key to preventing accidents with electric fences.
For example, if you install an electric fence, just telling your neighbors about it can help prevent accidents. Especially for families with children, it is safer if you tell them not to get close to the electric fence on a regular basis.

In addition, it is essential not only for individuals to take measures against wild animals, but also for the entire community. If you share the awareness of animal damage countermeasures on a daily basis, you can protect the important agricultural products of the region.

summary

This time, I explained the safety of electric fences and checkpoints to prevent accidents.
The electric fence uses a pulse output format to prevent accidents. Electricity is applied instantaneously at intervals of about one second, so even if someone touches it by mistake, they can immediately release it. There is a momentary stimulus like static electricity, but there is no worry about accidents such as stiff muscles and electric shocks.

However, in the past, there have been cases of accidents due to the use of self-made electric fences. There are many cases where these self-made fences do not want to see safety standards, and there is a risk of causing serious accidents.
When purchasing an electric fence, purchase a commercially available product that meets safety standards and follow the correct usage to prevent accidents.

For more information on purchasing an electric fence, please refer to the article below.

"Points for product selection and installation that you should know before purchasing an electric fence for the first time"