HV power cables; safe distance

[ProDave]

we had a delivery of DG units from Pilkingtons & the driver would not place the HIAB within 9m of cables. these units had to be off loaded in the road & carried.
The 9m distance is Co Rules

But that's not because a spark can jump 9M, but because the driver might, by mistake, extend the hiab and touch the lines. So the haib must be placed so that it cannot physically reach the lines at full reach.

We had a similar situation when we built our house. The crane driver came to set up to off load and erect the timber frame. He noticed the 10KV lines the other side of the road. He just took the view that it was something to be aware of and he spent 5 days there offloading and erecting the timber frame, knowing if he got it wrong, his crane was well within reach of the power lines. He just knew what distance to keep, and stuck to it. I guess if he had wanted to be a jobsworth, then he could have refused to set up the crane.