Working near electrical conductors
Contact with electrical conductors is a common cause of injury or fatality on tree work sites . A study in the United States found that electrical conductors were involved in over a third of all tree worker fatalities . There have been several fatalities in the Australian and New Zealand tree work industries due to contact with electrical conductors .
Vegetation management work will almost always be close to electrical conductors . Electrical hazards of working in this environment include :
Direct contact with electrical current
• Climbers may swing into conductors , descend onto conductors , or approach conductors without noticing .
• EWP operators may contact conductors during tree works , or whilst manoeuvring the bucket .
• All workers may contact fallen lines .
Contact with energised tree parts
• Tree parts in contact with conductors , on in close proximity to conductors , may become energised .
• Workers who contact energised tree parts may be injured or killed .
• Tools or equipment which contact energised tree parts may become energised .
• Workers may contact energised tools or equipment .
Contact with energised tools or equipment
• Tools or equipment which contact conductors , or which come into close proximity to conductors , may become energised .
• Workers who contact energised tools or equipment may be injured or killed .
• Energised equipment such as EWPs injures or kills workers on the ground through contact or step potential .
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