Stay safe around electricity this summer with Unison

With longer, fine-weather days upon us, Unison Networks (Unison) is reminding the community to stay safe around electricity while working outdoors.

Unison Group General Manager People, Safety & Culture, Rachel Masters said Unison is urging everyone to take extra precautions before starting any outdoor projects this summer.

“Summer is a busy time for DIY projects like painting, maintenance and gardening. Before you start, remember to look up and around - power lines are dangerous. Our message is to always treat all lines as live, to stay alive and stay clear to stay safe.

“Be cautious below ground as well. Whether digging, staking, fencing or excavating, know what’s below. We’ve seen too many close calls where people hit underground cables. Contact with a live cable can be fatal,” Mrs Masters said.

If a project puts you, machinery, tools or vehicles within four metres of a Unison power line or five metres of an underground cable or power box, apply for the correct permit to get the job done safely. Unison also offers a cable location service to help locate any underground electricity cables on your property or near the boundary.

Unison also reminds the community to stay safe around its equipment, such as power poles, lines, boxes and underground cables, that deliver electricity to homes and businesses. This equipment carries volts of electricity – a danger you can’t always see. Never touch, move or interfere with any electrical equipment. It’s not worth the risk.

Mrs Masters highlighted the importance of keeping vegetation clear of power lines.

“You are responsible for the trees on your property. If trees need trimming, please refer to Unison’s guidelines and consult a local arborist. Our team actively monitors vegetation around our power lines and may contact you if your trees are too close. Keeping trees at least four metres from our power lines helps prevent unplanned outages and keeps everyone safe,” Mrs Masters said.

Four key tips to stay safe around electricity include:

1. Stay clear to stay safe. Report damage to Unison.
2. Look up and around. Check for power lines before working.
3. Keep trees clear of power lines.
4. Know what’s below.

For more tips on staying safe around Unison's electrical equipment in the community, click here.

Learn how to safely manage vegetation near power lines by clicking here.

For information on requesting a safety permit, click here.

Find out how to locate underground cables before working by clicking here.

Or call 0800 2 UNISON (0800 2 86476) in an emergency.