Energex has reported that two of its electricity meter readers have sustained serious injuries after being attacked by dogs.
General Manager, Customer and Market Operations at Energex, Cloe Kernick said the incidents, at Ipswich and Barcaldine, were a reminder of what could happen when gates were left open or dogs were able to jump the fence.
“Dog owners need to take responsibility for their pets for the safety of everyone walking in their neighbourhood, including meter readers doing their rounds,” Ms Kernick said.
“Dog attacks are traumatic and can have lasting effects on the physical and mental health of the victims and their families — some people are literally scarred for life.”
She said every day, meter readers went door-to-door on foot as part of their job so the risk was always front of mind for them.
Ms Kernick said Energex had introduced a safe entry policy that prevented crews and meter readers from entering yards where there was a record of dogs on site when it was not clear that the animals were securely restrained or separated from the work area.
“Since then there has been a 40 per cent reduction in the number of injuries,” she said.
“While we’ve seen a vast improvement in the last two years, meter readers are still being bitten by dogs and we need the community’s help to stop these horrific incidents.”
She said Energex had introduced a free SMS notification service for dog owners who could register online to receive a text the day before their scheduled meter read.
“This gives them time to prepare for the meter reader’s visit to ensure safe entry and avoid a skipped read,” Ms Kernick said.
