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Office of Fair and Safe Work Queensland

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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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Appendix A - Meaning of terms used in this code

"authorised person", for an electrical part, means a person who:

1. has enough technical knowledge and experience to do work that involves contact with, or being near to, the electrical part; and
2. has been approved by the person in control of the electrical part to do work that involves contact with, or being near to, the electrical part, or is authorised to act for the person in control of the electrical part.

Chief Executive: Director-General of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Queensland.

Crane: any type of crane, including an elevating work platform, whether independent or an integral part of another piece of equipment. This definition includes an agricultural tractor, or any other apparatus used or capable of being used for raising, lowering, handling or transporting materials or equipment in a similar manner. The definition also includes any supporting structure and any other equipment ancillary to the use of the crane or apparatus, but excludes any grab crane or floating crane.

"direct contact"

1. A person is in "direct contact" with an electrical part if:
1. the person is touching the electrical part with the person’s bare hands or another part of the person’s body;
2. the person is touching a conductive object with the person’s bare hands or another part of the person’s body, and the conductive object is touching the electrical part;
3. an article of clothing worn by the person is touching the electrical part; or
4. an article of clothing worn by the person is touching a conductive object, and the conductive object is touching the electrical part.
2. Operating plant is in "direct contact" with an electrical part if:
1. any part of the operating plant is touching the electrical part; or
2. anything the operating plant is handling is touching the electrical part.
3. A vehicle is in "direct contact" with an electrical part if:
1. any part of the vehicle is touching the electrical part; or
2. anything being carried or otherwise handled by the vehicle is touching the electrical part.

Earthed means connected to the general mass of the earth.

ESAA means the Electricity Supply Association of Australia.

Earth moving machine: any item of plant used for excavating, transporting, unloading compacting or spreading earth, overburden, rubble, spoil, paving material, aggregate or similar material. The term includes backhoes and bulldozers.

Electrical installation is a group of items of electrical equipment. However, a group of items of electrical equipment is an electrical installation only if:

1. all the items are permanently electrically connected together;
2. the items do not include items that are works of an electricity entity; and
3. electricity can be supplied to the group from the works of an electricity entity or from a generating source.

An item of electrical equipment can be part of more than 1 electrical installation.

For an electrical installation where all the items are permanently electrically connected together:

1. an item of electrical equipment connected to electricity by a plug and socket outlet is not permanently electrically connected; and
2. connection achieved through using works of an electricity entity must not be taken into consideration for deciding whether items of electrical equipment are electrically connected.

Examples of an electrical installation:

• The switchboard, wiring, lighting, socket outlets and other electrical equipment permanently connected for a shop in a shopping centre.
• The switchboard, wiring, lighting, socket outlets and other electrical equipment permanently connected for a house or residential unit.
• The switchboard, wiring, lighting, socket outlets and other electrical equipment permanently connected for a shopping centre. The electrical installation for the shopping centre generally includes the electrical installations for the individual shops.
• The switchboard, wiring, lighting, socket outlets and other electrical equipment permanently connected for a residential unit complex.
• The electrical installation for the residential unit complex generally includes the electrical installations for the individual residential units.
• The switchboard, wiring, lighting, socket outlets and other electrical equipment permanently connected within a caravan.

"electrical part" means:

(a) an exposed part; or
(b) an overhead insulated electric line.

Electrical work is the manufacturing, constructing, installing, testing, maintaining, repairing, altering, removing, or replacing of electrical equipment.

Examples of electrical work:

• Installing low voltage electrical wiring in a building.
• Installing electrical equipment into an installation coupler or interconnecter.
• Replacing a low voltage electrical component of a washing machine.
• Maintaining an electricity entity’s overhead distribution system.

However, the following are not "electrical work":

1. installing or removing electrical equipment by connecting it to electricity, or disconnecting it from electricity, by a plug and socket outlet;
2. repairing or replacing non-electrical components of electrical equipment;
   Examples for paragraph (b)-
   • Repairing hydraulic components attached to an electric motor.
   • Replacing a drive belt on a washing machine.
3. replacing a component forming part of electrical equipment if the electrical equipment has been designed so that the component is readily and safely able to be replaced by a person without electrical knowledge or skill;
   Examples for paragraph (c):
   • Replacing a fuse.
   • Replacing the bulb in a light fitting.
4. assembling, making, modifying or repairing electrical equipment in a workplace registered under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, if that is the principal manufacturing process at the workplace, and arrangements are in place, and are detailed in written form, for ensuring that:
1. the work is done safely and competently; and
2. the equipment is tested to ensure compliance with relevant standards;
5. building, under the supervision of an electricity entity, an overhead electric line on structures that do not already carry an energised overhead electric line;
6. building or repairing ducts, conduits or troughs ("channels") where electrical wiring will be or is installed, if:
1. the channels are not intended to be earthed;
2. wiring installed in the channels is not energised; and
3. the work is done under the supervision of a person licensed to perform electrical installation work;
7. laying, cutting or sealing underground cables that are part of the works of an electricity entity before the initial connection of the cables to an electricity source;
8. recovering underground cables that are part of the works of an electricity entity after disconnection from an electricity source;
9. altering, repairing, maintaining or recovering an overhead electric line that is part of the works of an electricity entity, if the work is performed under the entity’s supervision and:
1. if the line is not on supports supporting another electric line-the line has been isolated from an electricity source so that the closure of a switch cannot energise the section of the line where work is being done; or
2. if the line is on supports supporting another electric line-both lines have been isolated from an electricity source so that the closure of a switch cannot energise the section of the line where the work is being done or an adjacent section of the other line;
10. work performed by a person on electrical equipment if:
1. the electrical equipment is not energised;
2. the work is prescribed under a regulation for this paragraph; and
3. it is necessary for the person to perform the work to meet the eligibility requirements for an electrical work licence

Elevating work platform: a telescoping device, scissor device, or articulating device or any combination of those devices used to move and position personnel, equipment and materials to and from or at work locations above or below the support surface.

Instructed person, for an electrical part means a person who is acting under the direct supervision of an authorised person for the electrical part.

"exclusion zone"

1. The "exclusion zone", for a person for an electrical part, or for operating plant or a vehicle for an electrical part, means the distance from the part stated for the person, plant or vehicle in Appendix B.
2. For applying Appendix B to a person, the person includes any article of clothing worn by the person, and any conductive object the person is holding or carrying.
3. For applying appendix B to operating plant, the operating plant includes anything the operating plant is handling.
4. For applying appendix B to a vehicle, the vehicle includes anything the vehicle is carrying or otherwise handling.
5. For applying appendix B to operating plant operated by an authorised person or instructed person who does not have a safety observer or another safe system as required under the schedule, the authorised person or instructed person must be taken to be an untrained person.
6. However, the exclusion zone, for an electrical part, for operating plant operated by an authorised person or instructed person for the electrical part, is taken to be the same as the exclusion zone for an authorised person or instructed person for the electrical part if:
1. the operating plant is fitted with a device capable of stopping the operation of the operating plant immediately the operating plant is at the exclusion zone for an authorised person or instructed person for the electrical part; and
2. there is in place a safe system of work for the use of the operating plant; and
3. the safe system of work has been developed in consultation with persons who are broadly representative of industrial organisations of employees whose members commonly operate operating plant of the operating plant’s type; and
4. without limiting paragraph (b), the safe system of work ensures the device mentioned in paragraph (a):
1. is operating properly; and
2. is set for at least the correct exclusion zone distance.
7. A reference in Appendix B to a vehicle does not include a reference to:
   1. an aircraft; or
   2. a vehicle that is operating plant.
   Example of paragraph (b):
• tip truck tipping a load would not be a vehicle for Appendix B. However a tip truck travelling between sites would be a vehicle in Appendix B.
• A vehicle that includes an elevated work platform being used for clearing vegetation would not be a vehicle for Appendix B. However, when the platform is not being used for clearing vegetation, the vehicle would be a vehicle for Appendix B.
8. For applying appendix B to operating plant, a reference to ‘another safe system’ is a reference to a system of work that-
1. has been developed in consultation with persons who are broadly representative of industrial organisations of employees whose type; and
2. provides, for persons and property, the same level of electrical safety as, or a greater level of electrical safety than, the level of electrical safety provided with a safety observer.

"handling" includes any of the following-

(a) carrying;
(b) connected to, whether or not temporarily;
(c) controlling;
(d) holding;
(e) lifting.

"instructed person", for an electrical part, means a person who is acting under the supervision of an authorised person for the electrical part.

Load: any substance, material or object being moved, carried, lifted or supported or which is in rotary or vertical motion, in association with a crane or plant. The definition includes persons and equipment located on an elevating work platform.

"operating plant" means plant being operated for its intended purpose unless the operation of the plant can not materially affect the distance between the plant and any electrical part in relation to which there is an exclusion zone under this part’.

Examples of operating plant:

• A tip truck tipping a load
• A fixed crane operating at a building site
• A vehicle that includes an elevated work platform being used for clearing vegetation from around overhead electric lines
• A concrete pumping truck pumping concrete
• A harvester with height changeable attachments being used to transfer grain to a truck.

Example of plant that is not operating plant:

• A furniture removal van under an electric line raising or lowering the electrically or hydraulically operated platform located at the rear of the van, if neither the platform nor anything on the platform rises above the roof of the van.’

The Act: the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (PDF, 788 KB).

The Regulation: the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 (PDF, 1 MB).

"untrained person", for an electrical part, means a person who is not an authorised person or an instructed person for the electrical part. However, it should be noted from the definition of exclusion zone, that for applying appendix B to operating plant operated by an authorised person or instructed person who does not have a safety observer or another safe system as required under the schedule, the authorised person or instructed person must be taken to be an untrained person.

"work" means work of any type, whether or not electrical work, other than live work or electrical welding performed in accordance with a safe system of work.

Last updated July 16, 2009

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© The State of Queensland (Department of Justice and Attorney-General) 2009.

Queensland Government