Safety Tips When Fencing
Injuries like cuts and scratches from the wire and other accidents can be
prevented by observing certain safety precautions:
Keep children and livestock away from all fencing operations.
Wear tightly woven,
tough clothing
that will not catch on the ends of the wire.
Wear heavy duty, tight fitting leather gloves.
Wear long pants and good high
work
shoes with heavy soles to protect your feet and legs.
Use the correct
tool for each job and
use it properly.
Wear
safety goggles or eye
shields and a hard hat, especially when cutting or tensioning the wire.
Wear plugs or eat muffs when using power equipment.
Use a nail apron or tool bag to hold nails or staples.
When using
power equipment ensure
that proper safety shields are in place.
Use driving caps on posts as recommended by the post driver
manufacturer.
Some people are allergic to wood-preserving chemicals so when
handling chemically-treated wood posts or lumber, wear face shields and rubber gloves.
Never use unsafe short-cuts or eliminate such items as safety
wires on twitch sticks.
Pick up all cut ends of wire, dropped staples, and nails, etc.,
so they cannot cause injury to humans, be eaten by grazing livestock, or damage mower
blades.
During electrical storms delay all fence construction or
maintenance and stay away from the area.
Install proper ground wires to wire fences as soon as they are
erected.
Remember, any wire is an excellent conductor. Be careful when
stringing the guide wire or line wires so that they do not come near any overhead power
lines or underground cables where you are working.
Construction Tips
The type of staples you use can help eliminate common pull-out
problems.
In soft wood posts use 1 3/4 inch or 2 inch, 8 or 9 gauge hot-dip
galvanized staples with slash cut points and barbs.
Shorter staples are acceptable for hardwood posts.
String the wires on the inside of the posts or on the outside of
curves. Drive staples slightly off the vertical so they straddle the wood grain. The
staples should allow wires to move back and forth freely. Rotate the staples about 25 or
more degrees from the flat surface. This practice spreads the legs for greater holding
power. Drive staples at an upward angle into posts in dips and at downward angles into
posts on rises.
The electric fence controller should be installed in a clean
location where direct moisture and sunlight do not come into contact with the enclosure on
a continuous basis. This location should be as close to the power source and the electric
fence as possible. Even though the controller's enclosure is basically weatherproof, it is
advisable to install it indoors or in a weatherproof housing.
The earth is half your fence -- so if your grounding rod is not
satisfactory, you will have a poor working fence. For best results, drive a 6-foot (1.8 m)
steel rod, galvanized pipe or copper rod into the earth. This grounding rod doesn't have
to be next to the controller, but can be located nearby, preferably in a low, wet spot.
This assures better grounding.
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