Know what's underground
You must visit Before You Dig before breaking any ground, to know the location of underground power lines and their proximity to your work activities and transit routes.
Electrical safety for building and construction workers
Build a solid understanding of how to work safely around Endeavour Energy’s electrical assets.
Keeping building and construction workers safe
If you work in the building and construction industry, you're potentially risking electrocution and causing substantial damage to plant and equipment whenever you operate plant near overhead power lines or when excavating. Understand why you may be at risk and what you can do to work safely.
Put safety first, before starting work
Determine the location of overhead powerlines
Know the location of electrical assets and their proximity to your work activities and transit routes, before commencing any overhead work actions by visiting Look up and Live.
Determine electrical asset clearances
Determine electricity asset safety clearances and whether an isolation needs to occur by referring to where to draw the line on safety clearances from electricity asset.
Determine asset clearances
Determine electricity asset safety clearances and whether an isolation needs to occur by referring to where to draw the line on safety clearances from electricity assets.
Complete a risk assessment
Identify hazards including work practices and procedures to help you implement appropriate control measures.
Install eye level markers
Before commencing work, install eye level visual markers in any area where overhead power lines have been identified.
Keep safety first, while on site
Use safety switches
Use safety switches
Monitor weather conditions
Monitor weather conditions
Brief all staff
Brief all staff
Assess the site
Assess the site
Minimum safe approach distances when working near power lines
Workers and their equipment should not approach overhead power lines any closer than the following, when machinery is being operated.
Up to 132,000 volts
Power lines with voltages up to 132,000 volts (e.g. low voltage distribution and subtransmission lines, usually on poles) - 3 metres
Between 132,000 and 330,000 volts
Between 132,000 and 330,000 volts (e.g. subtransmission and transmission lines, usually on either poles or towers) - 6 metres
More than 330,000
More than 330,000 volts (e.g. transmission lines, usually on towers) - 8 metres
Before you dig
• Apply for Before You Dig plans for each location where you intend to dig.
• Use cable location services and technologies such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to accurately identify the location of underground utilities.
• Pothole once you reach the applicable approach distance – for more information on approach distances for underground assets refer to Work Near Underground Assets Guide by WorkCover NSW.
Things to remember
• WorkCover requires a minimum approach distance of at least three metres from overhead power lines (up to 132,000 volts).
• You should exercise extreme caution when working near the point of attachment of the electrical service line to the house/building.
• Look for cables and the signs of underground assets whenever digging, such as changes in grass, depressions or mounds and pipe work.
• Look out for electrical arcs. If identified, do not commence work and contact Endeavour Energy immediately on 131 003.
• To eliminate the possibility of making contact with power lines, plan and communicate safe traffic paths by providing diagrams of plant and vehicle travel paths away from overhead power lines.
• Assign a spotter to each operator of high machinery and excavators to guide movements near overhead power lines and underground cables, while ensuring that minimum approach distances are maintained.
• Before every relocation, lower all machinery into the transport position.
• Use proximity sensor technologies on plant while you dig.
Permit to work systems
Using a permit to work (PTW) system can be an effective way to be sure preventative measures have been taken before any digging commences. It acts as a checklist that can only enable digging work to commence (usually with supervisor sign off) once all preventative actions have been taken first.
Create a permit to work checklist
Has Before You Dig been undertaken?
Have cable location services/technologies been used and their results compared with the BYD plans?
Have the plans been marked up to reflect any new information/changes?
Has the safest plant suitable for the job been selected and ordered?
Has a spotter been allocated to this job to observe hand, mechanical or powered digging?
Is potholing included in the safe work procedure?
Has the job been assessed to use non-destructive digging?
Have overhead power lines been identified as a risk? If so, has this risk been managed as low as reasonably practicable?
Have all persons who may face/are affected by the risk of hitting underground utilities been consulted/made aware of the safe work procedures?
Create a permit to work checklist
Has Before You Dig been undertaken?
Have cable location services/technologies been used and their results compared with the BYD plans?
Have the plans been marked up to reflect any new information/changes?
Has the safest plant suitable for the job been selected and ordered?
Has a spotter been allocated to this job to observe hand, mechanical or powered digging?
Is potholing included in the safe work procedure?
Has the job been assessed to use non-destructive digging?
Have overhead power lines been identified as a risk? If so, has this risk been managed as low as reasonably practicable?
Have all persons who may face/are affected by the risk of hitting underground utilities been consulted/made aware of the safe work procedures?
