Northern machinery operators urged to Look Up and Live

A series of incidents involving vehicles and machinery hitting powerlines across North Queensland has prompted an urgent warning for operators to take greater care.

Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson said so far this year, 17 incidents had been reported in North Queensland, out of 106 incidents overall, across Ergon Energy’s supply network.

“A spate of recent incidents across some regions indicates that the ‘Look up and Live’ message is simply not getting through,” Mr Wilson said.

“Statistics show that on average, at least one vehicle or piece of machinery is in contact with overhead powerlines every two days in regional Queensland,” he said.

Trucks and agricultural machinery were involved in the majority of incidents across North Queensland.

“These incidents have the potential to interrupt power supply, and worse still, they put the vehicle operator in danger as well as others in the vicinity. Every one of these incidents has the potential to cause serious injury,” he said.

Preliminary research and anecdotal evidence compiled by Ergon Energy also suggests that up to six times the number of known incidents are unreported.

Ergon Energy field crews and network inspectors regularly discover damage to powerlines and poles from heavy machinery which had not been previously reported. Damage includes burnt conductors from lines being clashed together, power poles pushed onto angles and equipment carried on poles damaged from machinery impact.

“The message is simple. Contact with overhead powerlines can be fatal, so it’s important for truck and machinery operators to be vigilant and take care working near them,” Mr Wilson said.

“One incident involving contact with powerlines is one too many, and I urge machinery operators to ‘look up and live’.

“And I also remind operators to put safety first if their machines bring powerlines down. If your vehicle comes into contact with powerlines, the best thing to do is stay put,” he said.

“Don’t risk being electrocuted trying to leave the vehicle – wait until confirmation that the power is off. Never move downed wires. Stay well away from them,” he said.

Media Inquiries: Ellen McIntyre 3225 1819