South Australian farmers are being urged to take extra care around powerlines following a series of local incidents this sowing season.
SA Power Networks says there have been 15 cases this year of farm vehicles making contact with high-voltage equipment – including three in just 24 hours last week at Bute, Cockaleechie and Cudlee Creek in the Adelaide Hills.
Another incident at Culburra on Saturday left more than 100 customers in the Murraylands without power for around nine hours.
SA Power Networks Operations Manager Josh Newnham said each case has the potential to end in tragedy, warning that getting crops planted should never come at the cost of safety.
“Not only is this endangering lives, but it also causes unplanned outages for other customers, and requires an emergency response from our crews to incidents which are, in the majority of cases, avoidable,” Josh Newnham said.
Farmers are being reminded to identify poles and wires before starting work, know the height of their machinery, and maintain at least a three-metre clearance from powerlines.
When a farm object or vehicle comes into contact with powerlines there is a high risk of electric shock. If this happens, you should immediately contact SA Power Networks on 13 13 66 and preferably stay in your vehicle until confirmation is received that the power has been switched off.
To see all the powerlines and locations on property, farmers can visit the interactive Look up and Live and plan for safety map.
Customers can also download the free app from the Apple App Store or Google Play store on their mobile device – just search for ‘Look up and Live’.
