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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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5.3 Exclusion zone

Exclusion zone for operating plant means the exclusion distances as listed in Appendix B for operating plant working near live electric lines.

A person must not operate any crane or plant in situations where:

• any part of the crane or plant,
• a person working in the bucket of an elevating work platform (EWP),
• any hand tools or other equipment held by any person involved with the operation, or
• the load being moved or material being handled is within the exclusion zone.

The exclusion zones for operating plant operating near electric lines, are listed in Table 5.1.

Table 5.1 OPERATING CRANES AND PLANT NEAR OVERHEAD ELECTRIC LINES

Nominal phase to phase voltage (kV) (Exposed unless otherwise specified)	Untrained person operating operating plant* (mm)	Authorised person or instructed person operating operating plant*, with safety observer
		Un-insulated portion (mm)	Insulated portion (mm)
Insulated low voltage with consultation & Insulation verified	1000	-	Contact allowable
Low voltage (LV) with consultation	3000	1000	Contact allowable
Low voltage (LV) without consultation
> LV & up to 33 with consultation		1200	700
> LV & up to 33 without consultation
> 33 & up to 50		1300	750
> 50 & up to 66		1400	1000
> 66 & up to 110		1800
> 110 & up to 132
> 132 & up to 220	6000	2400
> 220 & up to 275		3000
> 275 & up to 330		3700
> 330 & up to 400	8000	4000
> 400 & up to 500		4600
Nominal Pole to Earth dc Voltage (kV)
+/- 25	3000	1200	700
+/- 85		1800	1000
+/- 150
+/- 270	6000	2400
+/- 350		3200
+/- 400		3600

*Operating plant includes fixed location cranes (eg. tower cranes)

Table 5.1 Exclusion zone for operating plant operating near electric lines (extract from Appendix B)

Last updated July 16, 2009

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