Melbourne worker fatally electrocuted after lift hits power lines

A 34-year-old worker has died in Melbourne after the scissor lift he was operating struck overhead power lines late last week. WorkSafe inspectors are examining the fatal electrocution, which takes the state's workplace death toll to 20 so far this year.

What we know so far

According to early news reports, the man was reportedly working from an elevated platform on Monday afternoon when the machine made contact with live conductors. Emergency crews attended the scene, but he could not be revived.

Regulator response and investigation

WorkSafe has confirmed inspectors attended to establish how mobile plant came within reach of energised lines. Statistics published by the regulator reveal 20 fatalities at work during this year, a figure that keeps electrical risk high on every industry news agenda. Each fatality also sharpens scrutiny of how safety obligations are discharged on a busy building site.

Why overhead power lines remain a leading killer

Contact with overhead electricity is among the deadliest hazards facing operators of elevating work platforms. Because a scissor lift raises people directly into the strike zone, electrical safety controls must be planned before anyone leaves the ground.

Controls that prevent electrocution near energised conductors

• Map every asset: locate all overhead conductors, service drops and poles before elevating a platform.
• Respect no-go zones: confirm minimum approach distances with the network operator, then barricade or de-energise where practicable.
• Post a trained observer: a dedicated spotter keeps operators clear while machines travel and elevate.
• Document the method: capture controls in a Working in Close Proximity to Power Lines and Roadways Safe Work Method Statement, then brief crews before tools go up.
• Verify competency: check operator licensing, pre-start inspections and emergency lowering procedures, recording acknowledgement through a worker agreement policy.

Guidance for duty holders

Employers hold primary responsibility for controlling electrical risk around elevating plant. Guidance from Safe Work Australia makes clear that written procedures, exclusion zones and active supervision form the backbone of any credible safety system. Reviewing your worker and contractor policies after every serious event helps close the gaps that news coverage so often exposes.

Related safety news

• Melbourne worker injured after crane hits power pole
• Melbourne worker dies after falling from roof
• Worker fatally struck by a falling gate at a metropolitan depot

Keeping crews informed

Timely news of incidents such as this drives genuine change across every project. Subscribing to safety alerts, running toolbox talks and sharing regulator bulletins ensures hard lessons travel quickly between sites. Our library also covers Power Tools and Equipment SWMS templates plus a first aid worker register for teams operating across borders.

Safety professionals reviewing high-risk plant should treat this tragedy as a prompt to re-check approach distances today. Further news updates will follow as the investigation progresses; visit our news hub for developments.

Originally published here.