Cane farmers urged to Look Up and Live

Government-owned NSW electricity company Essential Energy is reminding sugar cane workers to be aware of the location of overhead power lines when harvesting and to 'Look Up and Live'.

Essential Energy General Manager for Safety, HR and Environment David Nardi says pre-planning before harvest is essential to ensuring workers are aware of potential electrical hazards.

"Machinery operators should be briefed on the location of power lines and other electrical assets before work each day to ensure safety is top of mind," he says.

"It only takes a small lapse in concentration for an incident to occur which can become a major safety risk to operators and bystanders or cause a power outage that inconveniences the local community."

The company also advises operators to be extra vigilant at dawn and dusk when visibility is reduced and at the end of a long day when concentration may be waning.

"We also advocate having a safety observer onsite to spot electrical hazards and monitor weather conditions that can cause power lines to sway or sag," Nardi adds.

To avoid contacting power lines, operators should know the height and reach of machinery in the stowed and working positions, maintaining a minimum safe distance of three metres from power lines at all times – while allowing for changing conditions.

"Safety controls should be in place each time machinery is relocated, including during the tipping of cane into mill bins or trucks," Nardi says.

If machinery does contact overhead power lines, Essential Energy advises operators to contact the company or their state electricity corporations immediately.

Farmers planning a sugar cane burn-off near power lines should also notify their respective state energy companies in advance to enable a safety advisor to attend and provide safety advice if required.

Essential Energy advises that landholders will be held liable for costs associated with replacing power lines and poles damaged during burn-offs or harvesting activities.