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Appendix B
General requirements for electric fences
Electric fences and their ancillary equipment shall be installed and operated and
maintained in a manner that minimizes danger to persons, animals or environment,
Electric fence constructions which are likely to lead to the entanglement of animals or
persons shall be avoided, as entrapment can be lethal.
An electric fence shall not be supplied from two different energizers or from independent
fence circuits of the same energizer.
For any two different electric fences, each supplied from a different energizer with
independent timing, the distance between the wires of the two electric fences shall be at
least 2.5m. If this gap is to be closed, this shall be affected by means of a physical
barrier of high voltage electrically non-conductive material or an earthed conducting
material such that the two separate electric animal fences cannot be contacted at the
same time.
A spacing of 2.5m shall be maintained between non-insulated connecting leads supplied
from separate energizers. This spacing may be less where insulated cables are used or
sleeving rated at 10kV.
Barbed wire or razor wire shall not be electrified by an energizer or placed physically
close to an electric fence as these circumstances can create a lethal
entanglement/entrapment hazard.
A non-electrified fence incorporating barbed wire or razor wire may be used to support
one or more off-set 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 maximum distance of 150mm from the vertical plane of the non-
electrified wires. The barbed wire and razor wire shall be earthed at regular intervals.
A distance of at least 10m 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.
Any part of an electric fence which is installed along a public road or pathway shall be
identified at frequent intervals by prominently placed warning signs securely fastened to
the fence posts or firmly clamped to the fence wires. The size of the warning signs shall
be at least 100mm x 200mm. The background colour of both sides of the warning plate
shall be yellow. The inscription on the plate shall be in black.
