• Home
• Electrical safety
• Workplace health & safety
• Industrial relations
• Corporate information

• 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

More about working around electricity

	Print-friendly page
	Print full Working Near Exposed Live Parts Code of Practice (PDF, 239KB)

5.5 Special provisions for working in the safety observer zone and authorisation zone

5.5.1 What is the safety observer zone?
5.5.2 Special provisions for working in the authorisation zone
5.5.3 Safety observer
5.5.4 Safety observer for the authorisation zone
5.5.5 Personnel in contact with the crane, load or plant

5.5.1 What is the safety observer zone?

A crane or plant is considered to be in the safety observer zone when, by the position the crane or plant is located, it is possible that any of the following could enter the exclusion zone of live electric lines during operation:

• Any part of the crane or operating plant;
• Any person on an EWP;
• Any hand tools or other equipment held by anyone involved with the operation;
• The load being moved;
• A person working on an elevating work platform

It should be noted that, even though the operating plant might be operating in the safety observer zone and could slew or luff into the exclusion zone, encroaching into the exclusion zone is still strictly forbidden. The safety observer zone concept is designed:

• to encourage operating plant operators to locate their equipment away from the possibility of encroaching the exclusion zone; and
• when that is not possible, adopt other suitable precautions to prevent encroachment.
• By virtue of the definition of safety observer zone, a crane or plant is not operating in a safety observer zone when:
• the electric lines have been de-energised and earthed for high voltage;
• limiting devices have been installed to warn the operator or prevent any part of the crane, plant or load being moved from entering the exclusion zone; or
• any part of the crane, plant or load being moved is prevented from entering the exclusion zone by physical barriers.

The safety observer zone for electric lines on poles and on towers is illustrated in Figure 5.2.

Figure 5.2 – Safety observer zone for overhead electric lines on poles and towers

5.5.2 Special provisions for working in the authorisation zone

What is the authorisation zone?

A crane or operating plant is in the authorisation zone when it is operated by an authorised or instructed person permitted to have direct contact with or to work within an exclusion zone for an insulated low voltage line in accordance with the Regulation.

When operating plant is in the authorisation zone, or when it is intended to operate in the authorisation zone, a safety observer or another safe system of work must be used which will prevent contact with the low voltage line, or where contact is allowed, prevent damage to the line.

Another safe system of work may include one or more of the following precautions:

• Use of a safe approach distance between low voltage electric power lines and operating plant. A one metre distance or where circumstances demand, a greater distance, may be necessary to ensure that contact and possible damage to the line does not occur. The distance would need to allow for such hazards as inadvertent movement of operating plant. A one metre safe approach distance may not be necessary in respect of low voltage communication lines.
• Use of limit switches to prevent the operating plant from contacting the line; and
• Positioning and design of operating plant which will prevent the plant from contacting the line.
• Under the regulation, where work with operating plant involves contact with an energised insulated low voltage line, a safety observer must be used.

5.5.3 Safety observer

For Safety Observer Zone

A safety observer should be employed when a crane or plant is operating within the safety observer zone as defined in Section 5.5.1.

The following special provisions apply:

1. The operator’s employer or self-employed operator is responsible for appointing a safety observer. If any part of the crane or plant or load is about to enter the exclusion zone, the observer should warn the operator. Encroachment into the exclusion zone is strictly forbidden.
2. The operator should not operate a crane or plant without a safety observer in situations where an observer is required.
3. The safety observer should not be required to carry out any other duty at the time.
4. The safety observer should be able to communicate effectively with the operator of the crane or plant at all times. Specialist equipment may be necessary where there is a barrier to communication.
5. The safety observer should not be required to observe more than one crane or plant at a time.
6. Except where rail mounted elevating work platforms are being used for working on rail traction electrical apparatus, the safety observer should not be located on the work basket of an elevating work platform.
7. The safety observer should be trained to perform the role.
8. The safety observer should mark the border of the exclusion zone with suitable markers, eg. red warning tapes, which can be easily viewed by the crane operator.

5.5.4 Safety observer for the authorisation zone

A safety observer should be used when a crane or plant is operating within the authorisation zone as defined in Section 5.5.2. The following special provisions apply:

1. The operator’s employer or self-employed operator is responsible for appointing a safety observer. If any part of the crane or plant or load is about to contact the low voltage line, the observer should warn the operator
2. Where contact is not permissible under regulation, a crane or plant must not be operated in the authorisation zone without a safety observer or another safe system of work that prevents contact with the line.
3. A safety observer must be used where an authorised or instructed person is allowed to contact the line under the regulation.
4. The safety observer should not be required to carry out any other duty at the time.
5. The safety observer should be able to communicate effectively with the operator of the crane or plant at all times. Specialist equipment may be necessary where there is a barrier to communication.
6. The safety observer should not be required to observe more than one crane or plant at a time.
7. Except where rail mounted elevating work platforms are being used for working on rail traction electrical apparatus, the safety observer should not be located on the work basket of an elevating work platform.
8. The safety observer should be trained to perform the role.
9. The safety observer should mark the border of the exclusion zone with suitable markers eg. red warning tapes, which can be easily viewed by the operator.

5.5.5 Personnel in contact with the crane, load or plant

When the crane or plant is operating in the safety observer zone or authorization zone, only the following persons should be allowed to touch any part of the crane, plant or load being moved:

1. The operator while not in contact with an electrical earth eg operator remaining in the cabin instead of standing on the ground beside the plant;
2. The operator, while standing on the ground or while in contact with an earthed situation, may operate the crane or plant under any of the following conditions, when used appropriately:
   
   1. The controls are effectively insulated¹.
   2. The operator wears insulating gloves¹ where the voltage of any of the overhead electric lines does not exceed 1000 volts.
   3. The operator stands on an equipotential metallic mat, which is electrically connected to all metalwork associated with the controls.
3. Other personnel who are essential to the particular operation of the crane or plant eg dogger, crane chaser or other worker helping to set up the crane or plant, provided these persons are not required to have direct contact with any part of the crane, plant or load.
   

   Where direct contact is necessary:

   1. insulated¹ crane hooks should be used;
   2. effectively maintained insulating gloves¹ should be worn; or
   3. such contact should be via a non-conductive object eg pole or tail rope used to control load movement. 

¹ Insulation must at least be effective against the maximum voltage of the particular overhead electric line. The employer or self-employed person operating the crane is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the insulation in accordance with the relevant Australian Standard

Last updated July 16, 2009

Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy | Access keys | Other languages

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

Queensland Government