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    Safety Brief SB-839 Nifty Lift Sub Frame Cracking

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    What is Happening?

    During recent major inspections Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP), manufacturer Nifty Lift identified cracking along the turret box/pedestal to subframe weld on two units. The units were not owned by Essential Energy but operated in a similar environment.

    The cracking had not been detected during routine inspections.

    On Monday 18 February the manufacturer issued advice that the turret box to subframe weld should be inspected as part of the quarterly inspections on NL170RKT and NL180RKT model MEWPs.

    The manufacturer also recommended that equipment owners conduct an out of cycle inspection, to ensure that no undetected cracking in this section has occurred.

    Safety Brief 839 - Nifty Lift Sub Frame Cracking is being shared for your information and can be accessed from Essential Energy’s Document Library

    Further Information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au
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    Reminder Essential Energy ASP Forums March/April 2019

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    As part of our commitment to improve our relationship and communications with ASPs Essential Energy are holding our next round of forums. The purpose of these forums is for ASPs to come along and hear about the latest news in the ASP space and to ask questions or raise issues with representatives from various Essential Energy teams.


    Dates and locations of ASP forums:

    • Coffs Harbour 18th March 2019 (Coffs Ex-Services Club – 2-6 Vernon St Coffs Harbour)
    • Tweed Heads19th March 2019 (Tweed Heads Bowls Club – Cnr Wharf & Florence St Tweed Heads)
    • Tamworth 25th March 2019 (Tamworth West Leagues Club – 58 Phillip St Tamworth West)
    • Queanbeyan 2nd April 2019 (Raiders Belconnen – Hardwick Cres Holt)
    • Moruya 3rd April 2019 (Moruya Golf Club – Evans St Moruya)

    Forums will commence from 5pm at the above locations, with light refreshments available. To determine venue sizes we would appreciate any ASPs who wish to attend complete a survey or email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au with company name, numbers attending, which forum you will be attending and anything you would like to see at our forums.

    Thank you to those that have already expressed interest in attending our forums, please be advise that the scheduled forum at Buronga on 11th April 2019 has been cancelled due to a lack of interest.

    Brief Agenda Items:

    Part 1 - 60 mins

    • Welcome and General ASP Information
    • 2015 review
    • 5125 review
    • Level 1 ASP agreement
    • Level 2 topics (unauthorised connections, solar connections etc)
    • Level 3 specific changes / issues
    • Standards update

    Part 2 – 60 mins

    • Subject Matter Experts (SME) spread across the room allowing ASPs to meet key people and discuss issues

    What do you need to do?

    1. Please complete the survey at engage.essentialenergy.com.au/ASP click on your relevant ASP level, then go into Surveys & Forms
    2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation

    Further information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au
  • You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.

    Essential Energy ASP Forums March/April 2019

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    As part of our commitment to improve our relationship and communications with ASPs Essential Energy are holding our next round of forums. The purpose of these forums is for ASPs to come along and hear about the latest news in the ASP space and to ask questions or raise issues with representatives from various Essential Energy teams.

    Dates and locations of ASP forums:

    • Coffs Harbour 18th March 2019 (Coffs Ex-Services Club – 2-6 Vernon St Coffs Harbour)
    • Tweed Heads19th March 2019 (Tweed Heads Bowls Club – Cnr Wharf & Florence St Tweed Heads)
    • Tamworth 25th March 2019 (Tamworth West Leagues Club – 58 Phillip St Tamworth West)
    • Queanbeyan 2nd April 2019 (Raiders Belconnen – Hardwick Cres Holt)
    • Moruya 3rd April 2019 (Moruya Golf Club – Evans St Moruya)
    • Buronga 11th April 2019 (Quality Hotel Mildura Grand – Seventh St Mildura)

    Forums will commence from 5pm at the above locations, with light refreshments available. To determine venue sizes we would appreciate any ASPs who wish to attend complete a survey or email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au with company name, numbers attending, which forum you will be attending and anything you would like to see at our forums.


    Brief Agenda Items:

    Part 1 - 60 mins

    • Welcome and General ASP Information
    • 2015 review
    • 5125 review
    • Level 1 ASP agreement
    • Level 2 topics (unauthorised connections, solar connections etc)
    • Level 3 specific changes / issues
    • Standards update

    Part 2 – 60 mins

    • Subject Matter Experts (SME) spread across the room allowing ASPs to meet key people and discuss issues

    What do you need to do?

    1. Please complete the survey at engage.essentialenergy.com.au/ASP click on your relevant ASP level, then go into Surveys & Forms
    2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation

    Further information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au
  • You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.

    SafeWork NSW Safety Alert – Working Live

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    SafeWork NSW has released a safety alert on the Dangers of working on or near energised (live) electrical equipment.

    This safety alert reminds electrical workers of the hazards associated with working on or near energised (live) electrical equipment. These hazards include electric shock, arc flash explosion and fire.
    This alert, and others, can also be viewed on the SafeWork NSW website - Safety Alerts.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Click on one of the above links to visit SafeWork NSW website
    2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation

    Further Information

    If you need further information, please visit email www.safework.nsw.gov.au or call 13 10 50.

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    Ausgrid Safety Alert SA17_18 Unintended discharge of electricity during live low voltage works

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    What is happening?

    Essential Energy wishes to reinforce the safety messages contained within this Safety Alert issued by Ausgrid (SA17-18) dated 3 December 2018. For ease of reference, we have listed the equivalent references to Essential Energy’s documents, together with some additional restrictions that apply to the Essential Energy network:

    • Ensure all Authorised Workers comply with Essential Energy’s CEOP8030 - Electrical Safety Rules (ESRs) when undertaking live low voltage work on the Essential Energy network, noting that Clause 6.3 specifically deals with work on or near live low voltage exposed conductors.
    • Only qualified, trained, competent and authorised workers may work on or near live low voltage apparatus (Clause 4.3).
    • Operating work and commissioning must only be carried out by authorised Essential Energy workers.
    • Appropriate clothing and PPE must be worn (Clause 4.4) and in the case of energised low voltage underground work, an Arc Rated Face shield worn (Clause 4.4.2(i)).
    • Connect neutrals before actives and disconnect actives before neutrals (Clause 6.5).
    • Essential Energy does NOT allow a low voltage transposition crossarm to be changed live (Clause 6.3).
    • Essential Energy does NOT allow work on live low voltage CONSAC or PILC cables (Clause 8.5.3).
    • Essential Energy does NOT allow its employees to carry out live low voltage cable jointing or work within a pit or excavation where their feet are below ground level. ASPs need to consider their own Safety Management Systems before considering similar work, i.e. that all risks are addressed and controlled including the requirements for performing a rescue.
    • Essential Energy does NOT allow the connection of a generator to live low voltage connections except by the prior approval of the Electrical Safety Office (ESO).

    ASPs may only work live low voltage on Contestable Works projects (i.e. Network Assets) as defined in the ASP Scheme Rules, the ESRs and the ASPs Safety Management System. Work within a customer’s installation is governed by Work Health and Safety (WH&S) legislation, codes and guides – in particular Division 4 of the WH&S Regulation 2017.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Review the '20181218 - Ausgrid Safety Alert SA17_18 Unintended discharge of electricity during live low voltage works.pdf' located on Essential Energy’s Document Library
    2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation

    Further Information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au


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    Statement of Business Ethics & Code of Conduct

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    Essential Energy values and enjoys strong business relationships with its many suppliers. These relationships are founded on a shared commitment to conduct business according to the highest ethical standards and complying with all relevant laws and regulations.

    Our employees are governed under the Essential Energy Code of Conduct and our relationship with ASPs, contractors and suppliers are governed under the Statement of Business Ethics.
    To help provide clarity in upholding these ethical standards, Essential Energy operates a ‘no gifts’ policy across the business. This means that our employees cannot receive a gift from a third party under any circumstances.

    This policy can be challenging for suppliers and employees alike, as the gifts are usually intended as a token of genuine appreciation.

    Put simply, saying thanks is enough. We really appreciate your support and feedback and ask that you refrain from offering any gifts that might jeopardise either your own or our employees’ integrity.
    Additional information on Essential Energy's Code of Conduct and our ‘no gifts’ policy is available on our website.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Visit Essential Energy's website at https://www.essentialenergy.com.au/about-us/corporate-governance/policies for our Code of Conduct and a range of documents detailing our policies
    2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation

    Further Information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au

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    Asset Classification & Private Defect Management

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    What is happening?

    To minimise the risk of bushfires initiated by privately-owned electricity network assets, and in compliance with its legislative obligations, Essential Energy is reinforcing its private asset defect rectification policy across its electricity distribution area.
    Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) may see an increase in requests for private defect rectification.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Review the “20181214 - Briefing - Asset Classification Private Defect Management.pdf” located on Essential Energy’s Document Library
    2. Visit Essential Energy’s website at www.essentialenergy.com.au/privateassets for a range of information on Privately-owned power poles and powerlines
    3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation

    Further Information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au

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    Safety Brief SB-819 Communications Microcells on Essential Energy Poles

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    What is happening?

    Essential Energy is currently negotiating a Facilities Access Agreement (FAA) with various Communications Companies to allow installation of their small ‘microcell’ transmitters and associated aerials onto suitable Essential Energy poles.
    A small number of these microcells have already been installed in the Tathra area ahead of the formal FAA.

    This Safety Brief provides interim information and safety precautions to be followed for working ‘on or near’ the poles where these microcell installations are installed. Discussions are continuing with the Communications Companies – and the other electricity network operators – for consistent precautions to ensure worker safety.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Review SB-819 Microcells in Essential Energy Poles located on Essential Energy’s Document Library 
    2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

    Further Information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au

  • You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.

    Safety Brief SB-817 Electrical Safety Rules Issue 16

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    What is happening?

    Essential Energy’s Electrical Safety Office (ESO) has completed a full review and update of CEOP8030 - Electrical Safety Rules (ESR’s) to incorporate recent Safety Briefs, Incident Investigation recommendations, audit findings and industry developments.

    There are no major policy or procedural changes in this update. All changes are summarised in the Revisions section at the end of the document.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Review the revisions section on the final pages of CEOP8030 - Electrical Safety Rules (ESR’s) located on the Document Library
    2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
    3. View this communication via Essential Engagement at engage.essentialenergy.com.au/ASP

    Further Information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au
  • You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.

    Christmas and New Year Planned Outages & Contestable Works

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    What is Happening?

    To minimise the disruption to customers during the Christmas / New Year period, no planned interruptions with a customer impact will be scheduled from 22 December 2018 to 6 January 2019.

    Also Contestable Works will be closed during the same period with business resuming as normal from 7th January 2019.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Review your planned interruption schedule for the dates above and work with your nominated Local Depot Switching Resource to reschedule where required
    2. Minimal processing of emails/documentation or Asset Labels will occur from Contestable Works mailbox during the above mentioned period
    3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation

    Further Information

    If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au