There is no government regulations to put WARNING signs on Electric Fences.
When I was a kid, I went dove hunting with my dad and his friends, who also brought along their sons. As we were walking the fields, we came upon a fence with a sign, WARNING ELECTRIC FENCE.
One of the older sons, pointed to me, “Yeah, kid, go touch that fence” with the warning sign, ” it’s just a fake sign … see the bird sitting on the wire.” Being naive at the time, I touched it and literary got the shock of my life. I was told later (after a round of laughs) the reason birds don’t get shock, is because they are not grounded.
In Costa Rica, electrified fences are becoming the cheap source of security in many residential communities and private homes, however, unlike the U.S., there is no government regulations as to their use or requirements to post any signs or warnings.
In other words, no permits are required by any government agency to erect an electrified fence, anyone can put unregulated amount of high voltage and amperage passing through the metal wires. María Luisa Ávila, the Ministra de Salud (Health ministry), explains that she could not find any regulation governing electrified fences. Nor can officials of the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) find any such regulation.
With that said, there has been several deaths in the last couple of months, where the fence has been accidentally touched, causing death. And with the increase of people trying to protect themselves, no doubt, this death rate will continue to increase if the government does not step in and make some sort of laws and bylines on the installation of electrified fences.
More and more farmers are using the electric fence - but are installed with no Warning signs as you seen above
The main problem is that many of these electrified fences are installed by persons without the faintest bit of electrical knowledge. It does not matter if it is in the high populate area of San Jose to protect against crime, or the rural areas, to protect ones pastures. Fences of this nature are fairly easy to install, all it takes is some wire, insulators, and of course a power supply.
U.S laws require any electrical fence to have voltage/power regulators. The shock may range from uncomfortable (like mine was) to painful or even lethal, like ones that surround prison yards. Most electric fencing used is for agricultural fencing and other forms of animal control purposes and illegal to use in many residential areas. Also with a regulator, it can allow the current to be delivered in impulses, thus reducing the chance of a person of being electrocuted accidentally.
The second problem, according to Andrés Madrigal, medical director of the Bomberos (fire department), told La Nación in an interview that many of the electrified fences are installed to kill, with up to a whooping 10,000 volts passing through the wires.
When talking to a few accounts last week, they have seen a huge rise in the construction of electric fences in the upscale residential areas of Santa Ana, Escaza and San Rafael.
One person, who lives in a planned community, said a few months ago, the HOAs voted to install these fences after a series of robberies, and construction will be starting on it sometime in April.
I think you meant: ‘literally’ got the shock of my life.