The Building and Energy Agency has issued a reminder about the rules and responsibilities in place for trimming trees near overhead power lines.
The State’s electrical safety regulator is encouraging home owners to hire suitably qualified arborists to manage vegetation on their property if some or all of it is close to power lines.
Director of Energy Safety, Saj Abdoolakhan said that earlier this year a Melbourne man died while trimming a dead tree on his property.
“The man was most likely electrocuted after equipment made contact with power lines,” Mr Abdoolakhan said.
“As a general rule, vegetation in urban areas in WA must be kept at least two metres clear next to and beneath distribution power lines,” he said.
“Trees should not overhang the lines.”
He said owners or occupiers were responsible for ensuring that vegetation growing inside their property boundary was kept clear of nearby power lines and electrical service cables attached to their house or building.
“Property owners should not attempt to trim trees themselves near live electrical infrastructure,” Mr Abdoolakhan said, “as well as the dangers of electric shock, arcing or fire, there are also fall risks.”
The Director said branches, tools and other objects could conduct electricity, while overhead wires could still be dangerous even without direct contact.
Mr Abdoolakhan said vegetation workers must have specialist training to work within three metres of most urban power lines, so the public should keep this distance at a minimum.
He said that according to WA’s Electricity Regulations, paid vegetation workers and their equipment could not enter the ‘danger zone’ around power lines unless they complied with Building and Energy’s Code of Practice, which outlines minimum safety and training requirements!
A Code of Practice for vegetation workers and electrical safety can be accessed on this PS News link.
