Community safety

Planning is crucial to working safely around powerlines. Before you begin work, we encourage you to PLAN, LOOK and ACT. Simple actions can lead to safer outcomes. 

Read our powerline safety conversation guide

PLAN

• Check for overhead and underground powerlines before starting work. 
• Use Look Up and Live interactive map and Before You Dig Australia website to locate powerlines, identify the owner, and determine exclusion zones (Figure 2). The Look up and Live app is also available for download from the Apple App store or Google Play store.
• If your work could enter an exclusion zone, or disturb the ground around the network, conduct a risk assessment and contact the powerline owner for safety advice before you start. 

LOOK 

• Look up, look down, look all around for powerlines.
• Treat all powerlines as energised. 
• Stay clear of damaged, sagging or fallen powerlines. 

ACT 

• Implement effective controls to prevent people, vehicles, machinery and equipment entering exclusion zones, and from contacting underground powerlines.   
• Follow your risk assessment and any safety advice provided by the powerline owner. 
• If your vehicle or machine contacts a powerline, STAY - CALL - WAIT (Figure 1).

Figure 1: STAY - CALL - WAIT emergency guidance

If your work could enter an exclusion zone (refer to Figure 2) or disturb the ground around the network, you’ll need to obtain free written safety advice from us before you start, by calling 1800 635 369. 

Remember, all persons who work near powerlines have duties under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (ES Act). The Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2020 – Working near overhead and underground electric lines is a practical guide to achieving the standards of electrical safety required under the ES Act and Electrical Safety Regulation 2013.