Big changes for electric fences in South Africa

South Africa's latest prescribed safety standard for electric fences has set new requirements for material quality, warning signage, installation, and maintenance.

The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) published the new safety requirements in June last year. However, they were not widely publicised, and many people missed the fact that new rules for electric fences had been implemented.

Under the name SANS 10222-3: 2023 Edition 5.1, the amendment included several updates.

These include clauses on electric fences for domestic pet control, strip grazing, game control, and specialised security fences.

It also included a note on the installation of joints and updated electromagnetic compatibility requirements.

The amended national standard also updates annexes on lightning protection requirements and earthing, and deletes the annex on certification to add a revamped one on inspection and tests.

Electric fence, alarm, and CCTV company Gido Group told MyBroadband that the updated standard also includes several other fundamental changes.

These include new requirements for the placement and frequency of warning signs along the fence to ensure visibility and awareness.

While the maximum distance between signs is still ten meters in urban areas, the updated standard stipulates that warning signs must be placed over gates and at the corners of the property.

This includes vehicle and pedestrian gates.

Gido Group's manager, Douglas Deerans, told MyBroadband that the standard includes more detailed instructions on proper grounding and earthing of the electric fence systems to prevent electrical hazards.

This includes requiring conduits for the cabling from the fence to earth spikes. For inspection purposes, this cable may also not be buried.

Deerans also highlighted the updated protocols for testing and certification to ensure compliance with modern safety standards.

These include protocols requiring regular inspection with set minimum maintenance schedules, ensuring the electric fence remains in safe working condition.

The standard also stipulates enhanced testing methods for verifying the functionality and safety of the electric fence systems post-installation.

Additionally, it specifies higher-grade materials for components like wires and insulators to enhance durability and safety.

"These updates focus on improving overall safety and ensuring better performance of electric fence systems," Deerans told MyBroadband.

South Africa's legislation for non-lethal electric fences dates back to the 1980s.

However, according to the Electrical Contractors' Association of South Africa (ECASA), electric fences were largely unregulated until they became more commonplace in cities and suburbs.

Finally, on 25 March 2011, the government published amendments to the Electrical Machinery Regulations within the Occupational Health and Safety Act to better regulate non-lethal electric fences.

In addition to better safeguarding the public against potentially dangerous fences, the new laws hoped to eliminate telephone, TV, and wireless interference caused by poorly installed systems and dodgy earthing.

"The amendments tightened up the industry and made it compulsory for electric fence installers to undergo tough training before being able to register with the Department of Labour as an Electric Fence System Installer," ECASA stated.

To ensure they get a compliant system, customers should ask contractors to supply their Electric Fence System Installer (EFSI) number.

Installer misconduct can be reported to the Department of Labour and the chief inspector can cancel their accreditation if necessary.

Deerans emphasised the importance of ensuring your electric fence is compliant for insurance purposes.

He pointed to a recent incident where an insurance company rejected a claim involving damage to an electric fence.

The owner did not have a certificate of compliance (CoC) for their electric fence or a surge protector installed, which led to the insurance company repudiating the claim.

Deerans said that while having a CoC is important, many insurance companies will investigate a claim further to ensure an electric fence installation is up to standard - certificate or not.

When a customer cannot produce a certificate and their electric fence installation is not up to standard, there is a good chance their claims will be rejected.