Floods and transmission network safety

BEFORE A FLOOD

Plan ahead 

When there is an opportunity to plan ahead before a flood arrives, we encourage you to: 

• identify transmission lines and towers on or near your property, or worksite, and plan safe access routes for people, vehicles and livestock
• use Look Up and Live and Before You Dig Australia to locate transmission lines, identify the owner, and determine exclusion zones (Figure 1)
• postpone any non-essential work near transmission lines when weather conditions are deteriorating
  conduct a risk assessment and contact Powerlink on 1800 635 369 for safety advice before starting any work that could enter an exclusion zone or disturb the ground around the network.

DURING A FLOOD

Keep well clear

Floodwaters can reduce clearance between overhead transmission lines and the surface of the water or ground. Never assume you have enough height clearance for vehicles, machinery, equipment, boats or people. 

• Look UP, look DOWN, look ALL around for transmission lines.
• Always treat all transmission lines as ‘energised’ with potential to cause serious harm unless an electrical authority tells you it is safe. 
• Do not approach transmission lines, towers or associated equipment that appears damaged, leaning, partly submerged, sagging or on the ground.
• If a transmission line has contacted the ground or water, keep well clear and warn others to stay away. 
• Keep away from vegetation, debris or fencing that is touching or close to transmission lines or towers as it may be energised.
• Do not attempt to move fallen transmission lines or any objects in contact with them. 
• Implement effective controls to prevent people, vehicles, machinery and equipment entering exclusion zones, and from contacting underground transmission lines.  
• Follow your risk assessment and any safety advice provided by Powerlink. 

Vehicles, machinery and equipment 

• Do not operate vehicles, machinery, or equipment under or near transmission lines if floodwaters have changed ground levels, or if your work could enter an exclusion zone or contact underground transmission lines.  

Boats, watercraft and water activities 

• Changes to water levels can reduce clearance distances to transmission lines. Be aware of tall items such as antennas, canopies, fishing rods, and masts, and keep well away from transmission lines. 
• Do not take boats or watercraft across fallen transmission lines during flooding. 
• Do not use an oar or any other object to lift or push fallen transmission lines out of the way. They may still be energised. 
• If a transmission line contacts your boat, do not touch the line or get out of the boat. Instead, call Triple Zero (000). 

AFTER A FLOOD

hazards can remain 

After a flood, transmission lines and towers might be damaged and unsafe. Stay away from them until an electrical authority tells you it is safe. 

• Report any network damage, exposed underground infrastructure, sagging or fallen transmission lines immediately and keep others away. 
• Do not start clean-up, earthworks or repairs near the transmission network until you have planned the work and implemented effective controls to prevent people, vehicles, machinery and equipment entering exclusion zones, and from contacting underground transmission lines.  

IN AN EMERGENCY 

In an emergency call Triple Zero (000) and also notify Powerlink on 1800 353 031 (24 hours, 7 days a week).

If a flood event has caused your vehicle or machinery to contact a transmission line STAY–CALL–WAIT (Figure 2). 

Further information

If your work could enter an exclusion zone, or disturb the ground around the network, conduct a risk assessment, and contact Powerlink for safety advice before you start work. 

Call 1800 635 369 (during business hours) and ask for the Property Assessment Coordinator.