WorkSafe Victoria warns farm workers about the dangers of overhead powerlines

WorkSafe Victoria has issued a safety alert about the dangers of overhead powerlines on farms following reports of large machinery making contact with powerlines across Victoria and South Australia.

The safety regulator says incidents of farm machinery contacting powerlines have increased 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,” WorkSafe Victoria says in the alert.

“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.”

To manage the risks of overhead powerlines, WorkSafe says farm workers should ensure warning signs are located in areas where overhead powerlines can pose a risk to machinery.

For more information on the above safety alert, visit the WorkSafe Victoria website.