WP1323 - Working Near Overhead and Underground Electric Lines

Electricity Entity Requirements:
Working Near Overhead and Underground Electric Lines

4.2.3       Work near underground electrical lines (underground electrical assets)
Before carrying out any earthworks at a location, the person, worker or PCBU is required to
ensure that the potential hazards are identified, a risk assessment conducted and the
necessary control measures implemented to minimise the risk of damaging identified or
unidentified underground electrical assets and to ensure the safety of all workers and other
persons at the workplace. The Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 and Electrical Safety Code of
Practice 2010 - Working Near Overhead and Underground Electric Lines and Electricity Entity
Requirements (this document) detail the requirement for work near underground electric lines.
There is no exclusion zone applicable for underground electrical assets – conduits, cables
(unless cable is damaged, or conductors or terminations have been exposed) therefore there is
no requirement for a written Safety Advice to be requested by a person, worker or PCBU, or
issued by an electricity entity for work at a site that only involves identified or unidentified
underground electrical assets (e.g. does not involved overhead electric lines or other exposed
live parts within the work location).

4.3. Obtaining Safety Advice
To obtain written Safety Advice where identified as being required in Section 4.2.1 above,
complete and return (by fax or email) the applicable Safety Advice Request Form which is
accessible via the electricity entity website link on page 9:
       Energex Form 1227 Application for Safety Advice – Working near Energex exposed live
        parts
       Ergon Energy BS001405F107 Safety Advice Request Form
On receipt, the Electricity Entity will contact the Applicant to advise date and time to meet at site
to provide written Safety Advice. It is advisable to bring to the meeting your copy of the
Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2010 Working Near Overhead and Underground Electric
Lines (and Dial Before You Dig Plan for location of underground assets where required), as
reference to this will be necessary during the meeting. Written Safety Advice and/or other
control measures provided by the Electricity Entity may incur a fee.
Failure to adhere to the Electrical Safety Regulation Section 68 requirements and mandatory
control measures as documented on written Safety Advice as issued will result in written non-
compliance advice being sent to the Electrical Safety Office.
Where this work is required to occur on a regular basis at a workplace, the PCBU may consider
arranging to have one or more employees trained and subsequently accredited with the
Electricity Entity as Authorised Persons.

4.4. Authorised Person and how to become one?
Under the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013, the exclusion zones for working near or operating
plant or vehicles near exposed, low voltage or high voltage electric lines vary depending on
whether a person is classed as an “Untrained Person”, “Authorised Person” or “Instructed
Person”. An Authorised Person is permitted to carry out work closer to the electric lines than an
Untrained Person (refer Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2010 Working Near Overhead and
Underground Electric Lines Appendix B Exclusion Zones for Overhead Electric Lines).
To become an Authorised Person, the employer / self-employed person must first satisfy the
“person in control” of the electric line, in this case the Electricity Entity, that their Applicants
possess the required competencies. They must then apply in writing to Electricity Entity for
approval.




Check this is the latest version before use.                Page 8of30                                        EGX WP1323 Ver 2
9 June 2015                                                                                               EE BS001405R107 Ver 2
                            Joint Reference Document between Energex and Ergon Energy
                    Energex Limited ABN 40 078 849 055  Ergon Energy Corporation Limited ABN 50 087 646 062