Your body is an extremely good conductor of electricity. Unseen and unheard electricity can cause death or serious injury without warning.
Underground cables
- Before digging, check plans provided by the local electricity company, telephone company and cable TV company.
- Before digging, use a cable locating device that is in good working order. Ensure you are trained to use it.
- Assume all cables are live, unless your supervisor tells you they are dead.
- Hand dig trial holes to expose cables, look for marker tape or tiles about the cables. Continue using the cable locator to establish exact location.
- When exposed, protect the cable from damage and support it.
- If the cable is accidentally damaged, keep everyone clear until the electricity company has inspected it.
- During back-filling, ensure marker tapes or tiles are replaced.
- If using power tools to break up concrete surfaces, avoid over penetration as the cable may be directly underneath.
Overhead power lines
- Treat all overhead lines as live. Don’t assume that they are only telephone wires.
- Ensure you know the maximum clearance distances specified by the electricity company.
- Do not bypass ‘goal posts’ barriers or other warnings.
- Check your route is clear of overhead power lines before moving a mobile scaffold tower or metal ladder.
- If signalling, always keep power lines in view. Guide plant under power lines where ‘goal posts’ have been erected.
- Ensure you observe special precautions laid down by the electricity company before working under overhead lines.
- If erecting scaffolding adjacent to power lines, ensure the poles are handled a safe distance away.
- Don’t stack materials or operate tippers under power lines, it will reduce the safe clearance and can result in arcing.
