BlueSafe

Overhead Power and External Electrical Infrastructure Risk Assessment

This risk assessment covers management of overhead power and external electrical infrastructure across planning, operations, maintenance, contractors and emergency response.

Activities covered include

  • Assigning accountability for electrical risk management
  • Inspecting and maintaining external electrical assets and site controls
  • Maintaining current references and risk information

Download immediately

Your editable Word and PDF files are ready to download after purchase.

Acceptance guaranteed

If your client or principal requests changes during document review, BlueSafe will help revise the document at no extra cost and support resubmission until it is accepted.

Overhead Power and External Electrical Infrastructure Risk Assessment
  • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • Pre-filled Content - Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • Customisable - Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Product Overview

This risk assessment covers management of overhead power and external electrical infrastructure across planning, operations, maintenance, contractors and emergency response. It supports planning and risk management by identifying responsibilities, site controls, inspections, changes and review processes.

Activities & Risks Covered

This assessment addresses activities and risks including:

  • Assigning accountability for electrical risk management
  • Consulting and coordinating with workers, contractors and network operators
  • Planning work and reviewing site-specific electrical risks
  • Verifying competency and authorisation arrangements
  • Considering electrical risks during procurement and design changes
  • Inspecting and maintaining external electrical assets and site controls
  • Reviewing contractor controls and supervision arrangements
  • Using permits, exclusion zones, spotters and plant restrictions
  • Preparing for electrical incidents and emergency response
  • Monitoring controls, reporting events and completing corrective actions
  • Maintaining current references and risk information

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses working around overhead power or external electrical infrastructure.

Activities & Hazards Covered

Activity Potential Hazards
Governance
  • No clear PCBU accountability for electrical risk across sites, projects and leased premises
  • Officers do not verify that resources, competent people and assurance processes are in place for overhead power and external electrical infrastructure
  • Electrical risk is treated as a local site issue rather than a business-wide critical risk
  • Responsibilities between operations, maintenance and contractors are unclear
Consultation and Coordination
  • Poor consultation with workers about electrical hazards, controls and changes to work arrangements
  • Multiple PCBUs work around power infrastructure without coordinated controls
  • Network operator requirements are not obtained, communicated or embedded in site arrangements
  • Workers and visitors are not clearly informed about no-go areas and electrical restrictions
Planning and Risk Assessment
  • Work is authorised without a site-specific assessment of line location, voltage, clearances, plant movements and environmental conditions
  • Risk assessments are generic, outdated or not available where work is performed
  • Changes in scope, plant, weather, access or ground conditions are not reassessed
  • Hazards from nearby structures, service lines and external assets are missed during planning
Competency and Authorisation
  • Workers, supervisors or plant operators lack training in overhead power line hazards and external electrical infrastructure controls
  • Unlicensed or inappropriately authorised persons influence electrical work or safety decisions
  • Competencies lapse and are not refreshed or verified
  • Training is delivered in a way workers do not readily understand
Procurement and Design Control
  • Plant, equipment or temporary works are procured without considering electrical clearances, limiting devices or intended use near power infrastructure
  • Design changes create new electrical exposures that are not reviewed
  • Supplied materials, attachments or subcontracted services are incompatible with site electrical controls
  • Critical safety information from designers, suppliers and installers is missing
Maintenance and Inspection Systems
  • Inspection and maintenance programs for external electrical assets, site controls and protective equipment are absent or inconsistent
  • Defects in poles, supports, switchgear, signage, barriers, lighting or plant limiting devices are not reported or rectified promptly
  • Temporary controls remain in place without review or expiry
  • Records do not show whether safety-critical inspections have been completed
Contractor Management
  • Contractors are engaged without adequate prequalification for electrical risk work environments
  • Contractor SWMS, permits or risk controls are accepted without review against site electrical rules
  • Subcontractor chains dilute supervision and accountability
  • Contractor incidents, deviations and lessons are not fed back into the WHS system
Operational Control and Permit Systems
  • There is no consistent permit or authority-to-work system for activities near overhead power or external electrical infrastructure
  • Exclusion zones, spotter arrangements and plant restrictions are not formally verified before work starts
  • Unauthorised changes to work methods occur after approval
  • Documents used in the field are uncontrolled, obsolete or incomplete
Emergency Preparedness
  • Emergency plans do not address electric shock, arcing, fire, plant contact with lines or loss of supply events
  • Workers are unclear on emergency actions, notification pathways and exclusion requirements after an electrical incident
  • First aid, rescue and emergency equipment are inadequate or not accessible
  • Drills are not conducted, so response capability is untested
Monitoring, Audit and Review
  • Electrical critical controls are assumed to be working but are not routinely verified
  • Near misses, line strikes, unauthorised encroachments and defects are under-reported
  • Corrective actions are not tracked to completion
  • Lessons from incidents, audits and industry alerts are not incorporated into the management system
References
  • Legislative and code references not maintained
  • Outdated compliance information used in the WHS system

Need to tailor this risk assessment?

Use the BlueSafe Portal to add site-specific activities, hazards, controls, responsibilities and review details before the assessment is put into use.

Acceptance Guaranteed: If your client or principal requests changes during document review, BlueSafe will help revise the document at no extra cost and support resubmission until it is accepted.

Legislation & References

The template records model guidance used to inform the documented controls. Applicable WHS/OHS laws and adopted Codes vary by state or territory, so confirm the current local requirements when tailoring the assessment:

  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace — 2.1 Identifying the hazards; p. 14.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks — 3. Step 2 — How to assess risks; p. 15.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Construction work — 6.2 Workplace specific induction training; p. 41.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: First aid in the workplace — 3. First aid equipment, facilities and training; p. 12.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination — 3. What is effective consultation?; p. 13.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities — 2. The work environment; p. 13.
  • Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Excavation work — 2.3. Controlling the risks; p. 17.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Activity-specific hazard identification and control measures
  • Initial and residual risk ratings
  • Assigned responsible persons for each activity
  • Risk matrix and assessment classification
  • Review, monitoring and sign-off fields
  • Site-specific customisation before use

Suitable for Industries

Building and ConstructionCivil Construction and EarthworksElectrical and SolarMining and Resources

Related templates

Overhead Power and External Electrical Infrastructure SWMSSWMSWork Near Overhead Power Lines SWMSSWMSWorking Near Overhead Power Lines (No Go Zones) SWMSSWMSWorking Near Overhead Power Lines with Cranes Safe Operating ProcedureSafe Operating ProcedureWork Near Overhead Power Lines Risk AssessmentRisk AssessmentWorking Near Overhead Power Lines (No Go Zones) Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment

$79.50

One-time payment