Shocking statistics in the workplace

‍South Australia’s electricity distributor and work health and safety regulator are jointly urging the community to be vigilant of the life-threatening hazards of working around overhead and underground powerlines.

SafeWork SA has received a total of 59 notifications of dangerous workplace incidents involving overhead or underground powerlines, over the last three financial years.

Over 40 of those notifications involved powerlines being struck by plant and equipment such as trucks, cranes, or excavators.

Seven incidents involved workers accidently cutting a live powerline.

Five incidents involved a person striking a powerline while carrying construction material, including long metal items such as copper piping and metal roof purlins.

In week two of National Safe Work Month, SA Power Networks (SAPN) and SafeWork SA are highlighting the steps and precautions people - particularly home builders, civil construction, and farm workers - can take when working near powerlines.

SA Power Network External Affairs Manager, Cecilia Schutz said that the safety of the community and SAPN crews is the organisation’s highest priority.

“Working near powerlines can be fatal or result in serious injury through electric shock. A first order of business on any job site, no matter the size, is to know precisely where electricity infrastructure is. Not all powerlines are overhead and obvious – they may be underground or obscured from view”.

“Maintaining a safe distance is critical - electricity can jump from powerlines to people or work equipment”.

South Australians are urged to visit sapowernetworks.com.au for information on how to work safely around powerlines and what to do if you come into contact with a powerline.

In 2022-23, SafeWork SA received 26 notifications of workplace incidents involving powerlines compared with 19 in 2023-24 and 14 in 2024-25.

At the same time, the number of statutory notices issued by SafeWork SA in relation to unsafe behaviour around powerlines has more than doubled. In 2022-23, 11 Prohibition or Improvement Notices were issued compared to 23 notices in 2024-25.

SafeWork SA Executive Director Glenn Farrell said employers were risking their workers’ lives unless they effectively managed the hazard of working around powerlines.

“The most effective way to eliminate the risk of electric shock is to turn off the power, which may involve contacting SA Power Networks before starting the work,” Mr Farrell said.

“If eliminating the risk is not reasonably practicable, you need to find a safer way of working or separating the hazards from people.

“Businesses are encouraged to make hazards more visible by using warning signs or ‘tiger tails’ to indicate the location of overhead powerlines and defined work areas.

“While I’m pleased the number of incidents notified to SafeWork SA has declined in recent years, I am concerned that the seriousness of incidents has warranted an increase in statutory notices.”

SafeWork SA will prosecute where companies fail to comply with their work health and safety obligations around powerlines.

An Adelaide demolition company was convicted and fined $140,000 in the South Australian Employment Tribunal earlier this year after its excavator brought down a 415-voltage overhead powerline.

The 2022 incident damaged two neighbouring properties while electricity to 84 other properties was disrupted for six hours.

Keeping safe around powerlines:

Always assume powerlines are live.

If reasonably practicable, turn off the power.

Identify and mark the location of powerlines with visible warning signs and ‘tiger tails’, which can be installed by SA Power Networks.

Maintain safe working clearances - three metres from low-voltage and six metres from
high-voltage powerlines.

Stay at least 10 metres away from a damaged powerline.

Call SA Power Networks on 13 13 66 if you see a downed powerline.

For further safety information visit sapowernetworks.com.au , Electrical | SafeWork SA  or SA.GOV.AU - Safe energy use(external site)

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Shocking statistics in the workplace - 20th Oct, 2025 - SafeWork SA