An Awareness Program by IEEE for Farmers on Electrical Accidents & Their Prevention

IAS SIGHT presentation

Audience listens to presentation

This program was organized by IEEE Hyderabad Section and Bharat Institute of Engineering & Technology on 12 November 2016 at Parigi market committee office which is 50 miles away from Hyderabad City, India. Program in charge Mr. Satish and IEEE Hyderabad Section Chairman Dr. Lakshminarayana addressed and interacted with about 50 farmers who attended. They told them that electrical accidents can be avoided if basic precautions are taken. The number of deaths due to electrical accidents is increasing in the state year by year and it is very high at 400 last year. Most of the above deaths occurred in the agricultural sector. One of the frequent causes is electrical shocks due to use of defective pump motor starters. Shocks can be eliminated if the starters are enclosed in non-metallic fire resistant plastic boxes, using high-quality starter components and proper wiring and installation at a height of about 5 ft above ground rigidly a sample of such starter was shown to the audience.

Satish Chaparala (center) uses a microphone to do the demonstration. He is joined by a farmer representative (left), Dr. Lakshminarayana (right), Chair, IEEE Hyderabad Section, and IEEE student members from BIET (back row).

Farmers were alerted against deaths due to electric shock and burns caused by farmers themselves attempting to replace fuses, etc.  on transformer as they are not trained or authorised.  What to do to prevent deaths when a live overhead line wire snaps and falls on ground or a bus in which people are travelling is also explained.  All these and other common mistakes due to which people die due to electricity and how one can escape deaths were shown through a new 15 minute film made by IEEE Hyderabad Section. The marketing committee chairman and farmers said the film impressed and benefitted them by creating awareness in the subject of electrical accidents prevention.