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Look up and live – working near electrical infrastructure
Essential Energy looks after the poles and wires that deliver electricity to 95 per cent of New South Wales and parts of southern Queensland. The electricity powers the homes, hospitals, schools, businesses, and services that form local community. The business is on call 24/7 to fix power outages, maintain the pole and wires to meet customers’ needs and explore innovative and cost-effective ways to provide services.
Essential Energy knows that regional, rural and remote communities form the backbone of our network and works closely with the agribusiness sector as safety is paramount across its network area.
The biggest electrical safety risk for the agribusiness sector is machinery contact with powerlines and power poles. Research shows that agribusiness incidents have increased 18 per cent on last year’s results, and they have continued to climb over the last three years. For this reason, Essential Energy urges farmers to take steps to protect their safety and the safety of others when working near electrical infrastructure.
Essential Energy’s Interim Head of Health, Safety and Environment, Kayla Hardy, described public safety as a shared responsibility. “Our goal is to help farmers and agricultural workers to understand how to protect their safety and the safety of others when working near the electricity network”.
“Essential Energy has a network that spans 95 per cent of NSW and serves 1,500 rural, regional and remote communities, so a lot of our work is centred around electrical safety within the agricultural industry,” says Kayla.
“Essential Energy’s educational safety campaigns focus on those working on the land and reinforce the need for farmers to remain alert to electrical hazards and aware of the location of electrical infrastructure, such as overhead powerlines,” says Kayla.
Essential Energy, renowned for its long history of pioneering achievements, now offers a range of innovative tools to help keep workers safe while working on the farm. This includes an Aerial Marker Program, offering the installation of up to ten aerial powerline markers free of charge to increase powerline visibility and help reduce contact with overhead powerlines.
Last year’s welcome bumper harvest unfortunately coincided with a spike in equipment hitting powerlines and power poles across the network. To help reduce the risk of these potentially fatal accidents, landowners are encouraged to consider installing aerial markers on their property.
Kayla adds “Unfortunately, we have seen a variety of incidents across our footprint, including tipper trucks and aerial spraying (crop dusting) planes coming into contact with our network”.
“Feedback from those undertaking work near where aerial markers are installed has been very positive, with people saying how amazed they are with how eye-catching the markers are, and others stating they help save lives.”
SafeWork NSW offer rebates to small businesses and sole traders in NSW who buy and install equipment that makes their workplace safer, meaning many agribusinesses may be able to claim back up to $1000 of the purchase cost of the powerline markers. Essential Energy also offers site visits on request to discuss ways to stay safe around powerlines.
Essential Energy has also launched the Look Up and Live smartphone app in its network area, which provides powerline safety at the click of a button.
“The app is a simple tool that everyone can access from the laptop or smartphone, to access information including the location of overhead powerlines and imagery via an interactive geospatial map. This is an important first step that everyone working on the land should take before starting work,” says Kayla.
The app can be accessed at www.essentialenergy.com.au/lookupandlive, or can be downloaded through the Apple or Google Play stores.
Essential Energy also offers a range of online electrical safety information including educational fact sheets on agribusiness and harvest safety, free safety stickers, and a practical instructional electrical safety video. These are available at www.essentialenergy.com.au/safety.
To find out more about initiatives specific to agribusiness and safety around electricity on farms, visit www.essentialenergy.com.au/agribusiness. To report a network incident, contact Essential Energy immediately on 13 20 80 or call Triple Zero (000) if the situation is life-threatening.
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