South Australians advised to prioritise safety when working near powerlines

Direct answer: SafeWork SA and the state distributor urge South Australians to treat every span as live, keep well clear of conductors, and arrange isolation before working near powerlines.

SafeWork SA, in collaboration with the state's electricity distributor, is urging the community to exercise caution about the serious hazards posed by working in proximity to overhead and underground powerlines.

SafeWork SA indicates that it has documented a total of 59 notifications of dangerous work-related incidents associated with overhead or underground powerlines in the previous three years.

During the second week of National Safe Work Month, SA Power Networks (SAPN) and SafeWork SA are emphasising the measures and safety precautions that individuals—especially home builders, civil construction workers, and farmers—should follow when operating near powerlines.

According to Glenn Farrell, Executive Director of SafeWork SA, employers are putting their workers' lives at risk unless they adequately address the hazards of working in proximity to powerlines.

“The most effective way to eliminate the risk of electric shock is to turn off the power, which may involve contacting SA Power Networks before starting the work,” Mr Farrell said.

Continue reading at safework.sa.gov.au.

Why work close to power lines stays hazardous

Touching a live conductor can cause fatal electric shock, arc flash burns, or fire. Electrical hazards are frequently invisible: buried cables give no warning, and aerial spans sag lower as temperatures climb.

Notifications lodged with the regulator show that many reported incidents involve elevating platforms, tipper bodies, cranes, and irrigation gear striking a conductor. Mobile plant creates the greatest exposure because reach, slew, and height alter constantly.

Safety advice before the job starts

• Plan your job well in advance. Speak with the distributor early about isolation, insulated covers, or a temporary supply disconnection.
• Maintain a safe clearance distance. No-go zones apply to booms, ladders, scaffolding, suspended loads, and mobile plant.
• Never use tools such as pruning poles, metal rakes, or augers where they might reach an energised span.
• Inspect leads each shift. Damaged power cords, cracked plugs, and faulty electrical equipment must be tagged out and withdrawn from service.
• Locate buried services first. Request Before You Dig Australia plans, then pothole by hand to confirm depth and alignment.

Plant and machinery controls on site

SafeWork SA advises conducting thorough risk assessments for each task, then recording agreed controls in a document such as our Electric Powerlines - Working Near SWMS.

Under harmonised duties, you are legally required to identify electrical hazards, evaluate their severity, and implement controls before any plant approaches a network asset.

Spotting arrangements, goal posts, tiger tails, and physical barriers reduce the likelihood of further incidents, though none of these replaces de-energising supply as the primary control.

Hire agreements should confirm boom limiters, insulation ratings, and current inspection records for every plant item delivered.

Extra checks for farms, home builds, and civil projects

Farmers moving augers, headers, and irrigation pipe should map each aerial route across the property, flag hazardous crossing points, and brief seasonal crews before harvest. Read more in our article on SA farmers urged to prioritise safety around powerlines.

Builders erecting frames, trusses, or scaffold close to a street frontage often need shrouding or a planned outage first. Roof and facade tasks add fall risk, so pair aerial precautions with our Working at Height safety packages.

Electrical safety on civil projects depends upon early coordination between the principal contractor, the distributor, and each plant supervisor. Machinery operators can also review the cautions issued by Ergon in Ergon's advice for large machinery operating beside aerial spans.

Related safety resources

Teams handling aerial infrastructure beyond the distribution grid should consult our Working On/Near Telecommunications Towers SWMS, which covers climbing, isolation, and electrical interference risks.

Roof access brings its own hazards; older structures may combine fragile sheeting with asbestos, so review our Asbestos Safety - Working in Roofs SWMS beforehand.

National Safe Work Month themes are summarised in Australians urged to prioritise safety this October, while our safety software keeps electrical inspections, permits, and corrective actions auditable.