WORKSAFE CAMPAIGN - OVERHEAD POWERLINES
WorkSafe is issuing a safety alert about overhead powerlines on farms due to several incidents that have occurred across Victoria and South Australia.
As farming machinery gets larger, the risk of contact with overhead powerlines becomes greater resulting in an increase of incidents over the last two years.
If contact is made with an overhead power line or a line that has fallen due to a collision with a power pole, the risk of physical injury from electric shock, or death by electrocution, is extremely high.
Power lines are often hard to see, and electricity can arc from a live wire to the metal of a machine that is close to a high voltage wire.
WorkSafe are reminding employers to ensure that:
- loading areas for grain, cattle, silage and hay are located in areas where there are no overhead powerlines
- employees and contractors do not work near overhead powerlines with large machinery such as telehandlers, grain augers, front end loaders, tip trucks and elevated work platforms
- warning signs are located in places where overhead powerlines can pose a risk to operating machinery
- if work is carried out in paddocks using powered mobile plant with a Global Positioning System (GPS), any power poles are entered into the navigation system
See more here.
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