Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) is urging people carrying out gardening activities to keep clear of powerlines following a series of incidents involving service lines being accidentally cut by hedge trimmers and pruners.

Service lines are single-span powerlines connecting power to houses on private land.

Since December 2021, ESV has investigated 14 incidents where members of the public made contact with service lines while carrying out gardening activities. This is more than double the amount the energy safety regulator has seen in previous years.

The incidents occurred in Geelong, Mulgrave, Brighton, Camperdown, Safety Beach, St Kilda, Chadstone, Stawell, Tatura and Moorabbin with a number of people sent to hospital with burns and electric shock. Fortunately, there were no fatalities.

Residents are encouraged to maintain vegetation on their property at least one metre clear of the private service line that connects their property to the distribution lines in the street.

The majority of incidents involved residents trimming vegetation on their own property but in some cases, professional gardeners and tree-clearing contractors were at fault.

These incidents are breaches of the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations and may result in ESV taking enforcement action against those responsible.

ESV always urges all people working near a service line to maintain clearance distances from powerlines.

Other important safety tips include:

• Ensure the location of all service lines are identified before pruning commences.
• If hiring arborists, ensure personnel are qualified and suitably experienced.
• If service lines are damaged, contact the relevant electrical distribution business immediately.
• Keep equipment, such as ladders, at least three metres from the service line.
• Stay more than 10m away from any fallen service line and always treat fallen powerlines as live even when they are broken.