Unison says people must take great care when working near power lines that above or below ground. Photo/alphapix.nz
Unison's top summer safety tips:
Look up: Be aware of power lines above you when using ladders, flying kites or raising caravan antennas for example. Keep them well away from power lines and make sure any ladders you use have rubber feet touching the ground.
Apply for a safety disconnection
if you are working within 4m of overhead power lines. Electricity can 'jump' to nearby conductors (and that includes you). You can apply for a temporary disconnection for safety by calling Unison.
Look around: For power boxes, big and small, as they are likely to be live electrical assets. Remember the 5m rule: if you plan to work within 5m of any asset you need to call Unison prior to organise a safe approach – for residential this is a free service and needs to be booked in advance.
Look down: Check for buried cables before digging. If you are near power boxes or know that there is a power line nearby there may be cables that you cannot see. If you are digging, installing stakes or fence posts, or undertaking renovations, contact Unison to find out the location of underground cables on your property boundary.
Tree safety: Keep your trees maintained and at least 4m from power lines to keep safe and reduce the possibility of an outage. If trees are within 4m, contact Unison for a list of approved arborists.
