Work near powerlines poses a significant risk of injury and death. The common hazards associated with work in close proximity to powerlines involve the use of mobile plant (excavators or cranes), the erection of a scaffold and deliveries.

Every asset owner (power company) will require you obtain a permit from them prior to commencing any work in and around the “no go zone”. The permit will list a strict set of conditions that must be followed at all times. There is a considerable amount of lead time to receive these permits so applications should be made months in advance.

Work on or adjacent to roadways is classed as high risk construction work as it presents a risk both to workers and members of the public. There have been serious incidents and near misses involving employees, subcontractors and members of the general public as a result of obstructed roadways and footpaths during construction.

Due to the high risk of this type of work, a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) must be produced prior work commencing on or around roads. The SWMS should make reference to the relevant traffic management plan, which should in turn be prepared by a specialist traffic control company and available on site.

The traffic management plan will state the controls that are required to be implemented based on the type of road that the work is being carried out in proximity to. Naturally, the expectations around safety controls differ between a busy highway and a quiet suburban side-street and can range from full road closures or diversions, to night works or simply providing basic signage. The requirements for formal traffic management and traffic management plans also differ depending if your road is managed by VicRoads, your local shire or your council. As a builder, you must check that the appropriate risk controls have been implemented.

In addition to the controls stated on the traffic management plan, regular safety procedures should be undertaken. Some things to keep in mind are:

• While Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the least effective form of risk control, it must be used for work of this nature in conjunction with more effective risk controls.
• Mobile phones can create a distraction to traffic controllers and workers involved in high risk work. Rules should be in place which limit their use and therefore reduce the likelihood of distraction and error.