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    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

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    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
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    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

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    Reissue SB-793 Update to CEOP2377 Equipotential and Personal Protective Bonding

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    Amendments have been made as a result of a recent review of Essential Energy’s Operational Procedure: CEOP2377 Equipotential and Personal Protective Bonding. Details of the amendments made can be viewed in section 10 of CEOP2377.

    The most notable changes include:

    • reference to ‘similar sized fitting’ removed
    • reference to ‘collar clamp’ removed, and
    • added requirement when working on a timber pole with a Known Permanent Earth (KPE), to install an additional bond to a pole step below the level of the workers feet.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Review Safety Brief 793_ASP - Update to CEOP2377 Procedure located on Essential Energy's Document Library
    2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation

    Further information

    For further enquiries please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au

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    Safety Brief SB-810 Endeavour Energy HV cable strike and ARC flash incident

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    A recent incident occurred where an Endeavour Energy contractor hit a live High Voltage (HV) underground cable during excavation works with a hand-held power tool.

    The contractor was engaged to prepare a trench as part of an overall program to replace Consac cabling. The Worker was in the trench, clearing material from around the base of a column using a hand-held power tool. The power tool penetrated the wall of the trench, striking a live 11kV cable and an arc fault occurred, the worker received burns to his arms and face.

    Contract workers and Endeavour Energy crews working nearby provided assistance to the injured contractor, who was transported to Royal North Shore Hospital for treatment.

    The initial reports suggest the worker suffered burns to his arms and face which may require a skin graft, however there did not appear to be nerve damage.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Review SB-810 Endeavour Energy Cable Strike and ARC Flash Incident 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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    Safety Brief SB-811 CONSAC Cable Identification

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    A recent incident occurred where an on-call crew did not identify CONSAC cable correctly, special requirements apply to equipment containing CONSAC cables – workers should review and implement the requirements of CEOP8030.

    An on-call crew were called to a no supply, after inspection it was determined it was in a burnt-out service fuse and street light fuse in a pillar. After completing a risk assessment and discussing the job the service fuse carrier was replaced and supply restored to the house. The on-call crew didn't have a fuse carrier for the street light, so it was made safe and left for another day. All appropriate PPE was utilised.

    What do you need to do?

    1. Review SB-811 CONSAC Cable Identification 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