The Electrical Safety Office (ESO) has released five new films aimed at keeping rural communities safe from electrical dangers.
Head of the ESO, Donna Heelan said data and evidence showed electrical incidents were a considerable problem in rural areas and potentially life-saving messages were not getting through.
“Over the last year alone there have been 22 serious electrical incidents in this State — three of them fatal,” Ms Heelan said.
“We at the ESO believe that this number should be zero — zero fatalities and zero serious electrical incidents,” she said.
Ms Heelan said the most common risks on rural properties were contact with overhead powerlines, using unsafe electrical equipment and not having safety switches installed on all electrical circuits.
“The five films cover these areas, as well as switchboards and the importance of reporting shocks and tingles,” she said.
“In this campaign, the message is simple — electricity is invisible, so you can’t see the danger…but it can kill.”
Ms Heelan said it was a powerful tagline and a stark reminder that many Queenslanders were being killed or seriously injured by electricity.
“Overhead powerlines are of particular concern in rural areas,” she said.
“In the past six years there have been 52 serious powerline incidents and tragically six Queenslanders have died.”
Ms Heelan said, however, there were other concerns — unsafe electrical installations, faulty appliances and, most frustratingly, homes that were not even protected by a safety switch.
“These are really basic safety considerations that can be the difference between life and death,” she said.
“I know that in rural areas, it’s often harder and more expensive to get licensed contractors to do the work, but no matter whether it’s in the bush or the city, the advice is the same — don’t take shortcuts with safety and always use licensed contractors to do your electrical work,” Ms Heelan said.
