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• 1. Introduction
• 2. The Electrical Safety Act 2002
• 3. The Electrical Safety Regulation 2002
• 4. Risk management
• 5. Operating cranes and plant near overhead electric lines
  • 5.1 Scope
  • 5.2 Regulation requirement on exclusion zone for electric lines
  • 5.3 Exclusion zone
  • 5.4 Risk management process for a crane working near electric lines
  • 5.5 Working in the safety observer zone
• 6. Work near low voltage overhead electric lines
  • 6.1 Scope
  • 6.2 The no-touch and exclusion zones
  • 6.3 Hazard identification
  • 6.4 Risk assessment
  • 6.5 Examining the low voltage overhead line for visual defects
  • 6.6 Deciding on control measures
• 7. Clearing vegetation near overhead electric lines
• 8. Agricultural work near overhead electric lines
  • 8.1 Scope
  • 8.2 Regulation on exclusion zones
  • 8.3 Hazard identification
  • 8.4 Risk assessment
  • 8.5 Deciding on control measures
  • 8.6 Particular circumstances
• 9. Transportation of high loads near electric lines
  • 9.1 Scope
  • 9.2 Meaning of terms
  • 9.3 What is a high load?
  • 9.4 Legislative requirements
  • 9.5 Travel requirements
  • 9.6 Responsibilities
• 10. Repair of electrical equipment
• 11. Work near electrical hazards in buildings and near underground electrical cables
• Appendix A - Meaning of terms used in this code
• Appendix B - Exclusion zones in millimetres

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8.5 Deciding on control measures

This step involves deciding on control measures to eliminate the hazard or minimise the risk of injury or property damage that may result. If there is a regulation or ministerial notice on the subject, you must do what the regulation or notice says. If there is no specific regulation or ministerial notice on the subject, but control measures are covered in a code such as this, you should adopt the control measures detailed in the code or use another method of managing risk exposure.

The preferred hierarchy of control is:

1. Eliminate the hazard could mean:
• relocating plant or equipment away from the vicinity of electric lines,
• having electric lines installed underground, or
• relocating equipment, such as a silo, away from the hazard.
2. Substituting with a less hazardous material, process or equipment could mean using another means to perform the task. For example, instead of using a truck-mounted auger to fill an above ground silo located near or directly under overhead electric lines, you could use a pressure tanker, filling the silo through a ground-level filler pipe on the silo. This alternative would eliminate the risk of touching overhead lines.
3. Redesign equipment or work process could involve the use of limiting devices to prevent equipment from entering the exclusion zones. If a limiting device is used, the interlocking or warning system should be designed to "fail safe" or should at least meet category 4 reliability in accordance with AS 4024.1 Safeguarding of machinery - General principles (non-Queensland Government link) or EN954-1. Where the limiting device prevents movement, sudden stopping or the momentum of the load should be catered for.
4. Isolate the hazard could mean erecting a physical barrier to prevent any part of the plant or equipment encroaching the exclusion zone.
5. Introduce administrative controls includes using a safety observer to warn the operator of plant or equipment whenever there is danger of entering the exclusion zones. Markers could be installed on electric lines to make it easier to see and locate.
6. Use appropriate personal protective equipment includes the use of effectively maintained insulating gloves by anyone who may have to come into contact with any conducting part of the crane, plant or load. In deciding which control measure to adopt, start at the top of the hierarchy and work your way down.

Last updated July 16, 2009

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