Electrical news
Autumn 2019
energysafe issue 53
Safety measures will save lives
By Paul Fearon, Director of Energy Safety
Sadly, we start the year yet again with
more fatalities. A young man – an
apprentice only 20 years old – was killed
after coming into contact with live parts
while working on an air conditioner.
The incident comes only a short time
after a man was killed when he came
into contact with overhead powerlines
while pruning trees in Hughesdale.
These incidents should not be
happening. Both of these men,
particularly the apprentice, should be
looking forward to a life of opportunity
in a great industry. Their family and
friends should not be in mourning.
On behalf of Energy Safe Victoria I
express my sincere condolences.
There are investigations underway
into both incidents by WorkSafe and
Victoria Police, so I will not be making
any conclusions around what may or
may not have happened.
However, while most of the industry
understand their responsibilities, it is
time the rest caught up. We cannot
afford to risk lives by not adopting
simple safety measures.
All electrical workers
There are general principles that
everyone – both apprentices and
contractors – should be following:
» » Never work live. There are very
few reasons why anyone should be
working live. Anyone doing so is taking
a massive risk. Always disconnect the
electrical supply before starting work.
» » Test before you touch. Confirm
isolations are correct and test with
suitable instruments. Test completed
work for compliance with the wiring
rules (AS/NZS 3000). Many fatalities
have happened when workers have
assumed a circuit has been isolated
but has not.
» » Lock out tag out (LOTO). It’s a
simple practice.
Supervise apprentices
» » Always provide effective
supervision to apprentices and
electrical workers. Regardless
of who is tasked to carry out the
role of supervisor, the employer
remains responsible for the quality of
apprentice training, and their safety
and supervision – including direct,
general and broad supervision.
Understand your obligations
Registered Electrical Contractors
(RECs) and electrical workers all have
obligations under the Electrical Safety
Act. An acknowledgement of your
obligations is declared every time a
Certificate of Electrical Safety is signed.
You must understand your obligations.
There is information available to help
you understand your responsibilities
and obligations on the ESV website at
www.esv.vic.gov.au/your-responsibilities.
Director of Energy Safety, Paul Fearon
12
Line clearance workers
» » Before you start work. In addition
to knowing your training requirements
and the safe approach distance, it’s
important to anticipate all risks and
think outside the square when planning
your work. If you’re working in a tree
or out of an elevated work platform
near powerlines you are potentially in
a very dangerous situation, particularly
if you’re holding a long branch.
» » Only proceed if it’s safe. If there is
any concern regarding safety when
performing electric line clearance
work, don’t proceed. Discuss job
safety within your work groups; if you
are unsure about how to complete
a task safely refer the matter to your
supervisors or managers for further
advice before starting work. Always
remember that you have the right to
refuse work if the job is unsafe.
» » Do the job properly. All workers on
a site should constantly monitor the
location of machinery and equipment
that could come into contact with
powerlines, including EWPs, ladders,
ropes, polesaws and power pruners.
They should also continuously watch
movements of climbers aloft in trees
to warn them if they are getting too
close to powerlines.
» » Warn other workers. Tradespeople,
vegetation workers and arborists
who are working near powerlines
and electrical infrastructure need to
be extremely careful that they, or the
equipment they are using, doesn’t
touch live wires. Anyone entering
the worksite needs to be aware of
these risks. Actions should be taken
to ensure that people who don’t
understand these hazards, or are not
appropriately trained and authorised,
are kept well away.