Working Underneath Overhead Lines

Working Safely Close to or Beneath Overhead Powerlines

Work near overhead powerlines must only take place when you are confident that safe clearance distances will not be breached. Electricity can arc through the air, so even brief or unintended encroachment into a danger zone can result in serious injury or death.

Confirm That Safe Clearances Will Be Maintained

If there is no risk of accidental contact, and no possibility of equipment, loads, or materials reaching the wires, additional controls may not be required. However, this decision must be supported by a site-specific risk assessment.

The assessment must consider anything that could change the situation, including:

• Workers climbing onto vehicles or machinery
• Lifting long items above shoulder height
• Loads carried on vehicles increasing overall height
• Movement of plant at full reach

Short-Duration and Ground-Level Work

Even short-duration or ground-level tasks can present a risk if people or equipment could enter the exclusion zone. Where this risk exists, you must carry out a careful risk assessment and introduce appropriate precautions.

If the overhead line cannot be diverted or temporarily switched off, work must follow recognised industry guidance and safe clearance distances. This includes advice from organisations such as the :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} (ENA), including campaigns such as “Look Out, Look Up!”.

Practical Control Measures

Where work must continue near overhead lines, practical controls may be required to prevent accidental contact.

These can include:

• Carrying long objects horizontally and close to the ground
• Positioning vehicles so that, even at full reach, they cannot enter the exclusion zone
• Fitting physical restraints or limiters on cranes, excavators, or similar plant

These measures help ensure that safe clearance distances are maintained at all times.

Communication, Supervision, and Competence

Everyone involved in the work must fully understand the risks. This includes the location of overhead lines, the exclusion zones in place, and the specific controls required.

Work must be directly supervised by a competent person who can enforce the agreed precautions and stop the job if conditions change.

When in Doubt, Stop and Ask

If there is any uncertainty about safe separation distances or how guidance should be applied, always consult the overhead line owner before starting work.

Working near overhead powerlines is extremely hazardous. If the task cannot be completed safely, it must not be carried out at all.