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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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6.4 Risk assessment

If a hazard involving electric lines has been identified, a written assessment should then be conducted to determine the risk to a person (or something he or she is carrying, or something attached to that person) encroaching into the exclusion zone. This step will help to determine the level of risk associated with the identified hazards and establish a priority list based on that risk level.

The following factors may be included in a risk assessment:

• Type of work being carried out, tools or equipment being used, and the risk of mechanical damage to the line if contact were made. Examples may include:
  • Handling a sheet of roofing material where loss of control could occur and the material could come within the exclusion zones.
  • Using a cutting or grinding tool such that loss of control of the tool is a risk and where the tool could come within exclusion zones through loss of control or from inadvertent movement.
  • Using a heavy electric disc sander to sand timber near the point of attachment of a service line may impose a high risk of encroaching the no-touch zone if control were lost. The risk of damage to the line is high if the sander touched the line. Manual sanding should be considered.
• Proximity of the work to the overhead line
• Environmental conditions, such as rain, wind or uneven terrain, which may bring a risk of unexpected movement of tools or equipment held by workers.

Last updated July 16, 2009

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