9
Safety considerations
Definition of special terms
Energizer
– An appliance that is intended to periodically
deliver voltage impulses to a fence connected to it.
Fence
– A barrier for animals or for the purpose of
security, comprising one or more conductors such as metal
wires, rods or rails.
Electric fence
– A barrier which includes one or more
electric conductors, insulated from earth, to which electric
pulses are applied by an energizer.
Fence circuit
– All conductive parts or components within
an energizer that are connected or are intended to be
connected, galvanically, to the output terminals.
Earth electrode
– Metal structure that is driven into the
ground near an energizer and connected electrically to the
Fence earth terminal of the energizer, and that is
independent of other earthing arrangements.
Connecting lead
– An electric conductor, used to connect
the energizer to the electric fence or the earth electrode.
Electric animal fence
– An electric fence used to contain
animals within or exclude animals from a particular area.
Electric security fence
– A fence used for security purposes
which comprises an electric fence and a physical barrier
electrically isolated from the electric fence.
Physical barrier
– A barrier not less than 1.5 m (5') high
intended to prevent inadvertent contact with the pulsed
conductors of the electric fence. Physical barriers are
typically constructed from vertical sheeting, rigid vertical
bars, rigid mesh, rods or chainwire mesh.
Public access area
– Any area where persons are
protected from inadvertent contact with pulsed
conductors by a physical barrier.
Pulsed conductors
– Conductors which are subjected to
high voltage pulses by the energizer.
Secure area
– The side of an electric security fence where
a person may come into contact with the electric fence,
without the protection of a physical barrier.
Requirements for electric animal fences
Electric animal fences and their ancillary equipment shall
be installed, operated and maintained in a manner that
minimises danger to persons, animals or their
surroundings.
Warning!
Avoid contacting electric fence wires
especially with the head, neck or torso. Do not climb
over, through or under a multi-wire electric fence. Use
a gate or a specially designed crossing point.
This energizer is not intended for use by young children or
by infirm persons without supervision.
Young children should be supervised to ensure that they
do not play with the energizer.
Electric animal fence constructions that are likely to lead
to the entanglement of animals or persons shall be
avoided.
An electric animal fence shall not be supplied from two
separate energizers or from independent fence circuits of
the same energizer.
For any two separate electric animal fences, each supplied
from a separate energizer independently timed, the
distance between the wires of the two electric animal
fences shall be at least 2.5 m (8'). If this gap is to be
closed, this shall be effected by means of electrically non-
conductive material or an isolated metal barrier.
Barbed wire or razor wire shall not be electrified by an
energizer.
A non-electrified fence incorporating barbed wire or razor
wire may be used to support one or more offset electrified
wires of an electric animal fence. The supporting devices
for the electrified wires shall be constructed so as to
ensure that these wires are positioned at a minimum
distance of 150 mm (6") from the vertical plane of the
non-electrified wires. The barbed wire and razor wire shall
be earthed at regular intervals.
Follow our recommendations regarding earthing. See
Installing and testing an earth system
on page 8.
A distance of at least 10 m (33') shall be maintained
between the energizer earth electrode and any other
earthing system connected parts such as the power supply
system protective earth or the telecommunication system
earth.
Connecting leads that are run inside buildings shall be
effectively insulated from the earthed structural parts of
the building. This may be achieved by using insulated high
voltage cable.
Connecting leads that are run underground shall be run in
conduit of insulating material or else insulated high
voltage cable shall be used. Care must be taken to avoid
damage to the connecting leads due to the effects of
animal hooves or vehicle wheels sinking into the ground.
Connecting leads shall not be installed in the same
conduit as the mains supply wiring, communication cables
or data cables.
Connecting leads and electric animal fence wires shall not
cross above overhead power or communication lines.
Crossings with overhead power lines shall be avoided
wherever possible. If such a crossing cannot be avoided it
shall be made underneath the power line and as nearly as
possible at right angles to it.