Electrical incidents and prosecutions since our last newsletter are from NSW, Victoria and New Zealand are summarised below.
Employers and workers are encouraged to ensure all legal requirements and controls are in place when carrying out work to prevent heartache, loss of production, fines, etc.
NSW – Worksafe NSW warns of an electrician dying under a house when carrying out electrical work – contact was made with a live wire. An electrical apprentice was also electrocuted in the roof space of a detached garage of a residential property.
VIC – elder woman received burns to her hands an feet after a house fire was initiated from an electric blanket fire.
VIC – EnergySafe Victoria advises of 58 powerline related incidents in the first two months of 2022. One of these was a fatality where a man was trimming a tree in the front yard of a property. There was also 214 incidents in 2021 – 141 related to overhead lines and 73 to underground.
VIC – Exploration drill rig contacts 12.7 kV SWER Powerline: The rig was to drill a hole in a farmer’s paddock. Stabilising legs had been lowered and the mast was being raised when contact was made with the powerline (approx. 7m off the ground). The operator received an electric shock but was re-exposed to the hazard by re-approaching the rig and lowering the mast using the hydraulics. The operator was subsequently released from hospital uninjured.
VIC – power plug partially dislodged in a powerpoint which created heat that resulted in a fire in the roof space of a house.
VIC- Solatra X-HF-100 three core DC cables used for PV installations can badly degrade if exposed to sunlight.
VIC – transport company is facing three charges after a crane struck overhead powerlines at a construction site in Dromana in April 2021. The operator was seriously injured. The charges relate to failing to manage hazards, lack of information, instruction and training and failing to prepare a SWMS.
NZ – 1st reverse polarity incident was made at the mains box. The workers turned on the supply to carry out a live polarity test. The reverse polarity current caused intense localised heating and/or arcing which in turn caused a building fire resulting in severe damage to the roof space of the building.
NZ – 2nd reverse polarity incident was at a school. Again, live polarity tests were to be carried out. The iron cladding of a storage shed was livened, several iron poles leaning on the shed were in contact with a iron fence. This exposed anyone in contact with the fence and shed to the risk of electric shock or worse, electrocution.
NZ – Excavator made contact with 11kV overhead line whilst tramming along. The operator reversed away from the overhead line when an electric arc was noticed. A small grass fire was created after one conductor dropped to the ground. No injuries were sustained to the operator.
