Shock, height and wire strike — on the network and near it
Working on or near electricity is high-risk: a live overhead line can kill on contact even if it looks insulated. The sector runs under the HSWA plus the Electricity Act and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations, with codes of practice setting safe distances. Line workers face shock, arc flash and falls; everyone else must keep clear of lines — if you cannot isolate the supply, maintain a minimum approach distance of at least 0.5 m with the owner's written consent, or 4 m without it, from a low-voltage overhead line.
The sector sits under the HSWA primary duty of care, the Electricity Act 1992 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, supported by the New Zealand Electrical Codes of Practice — including NZECP 34 for electrical safe distances — and standards such as AS/NZS 3000. WorkSafe is the regulator.
Network owners have duties for their works: lines built to carry their design loads without failure, protected by earthing, able to be isolated, with high-voltage faults to earth interrupted quickly, and “Danger Live Wires” notices on poles carrying bare conductors.
| Hazard | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Shock & arc flash | Electrocution and severe burns from contact with, or proximity to, live conductors. |
| Working at height | On poles, structures and from elevating work platforms. |
| Live-line work | Only by trained, competent and authorised people using approved procedures and tools. |
| De-energised work | Isolate, test for dead and earth before touching — never assume a line is dead. |
Most line contacts harm people who are not electricity workers at all — roofers, arborists, scaffolders, excavator and crane operators. Touching a live overhead line with the body, tools or equipment can be fatal even if the line looks insulated. If you cannot isolate the supply, maintain a minimum approach distance: at least 0.5 m with the property owner's written consent, or at least 4 m without it, from a low-voltage overhead line, with specific distances for scaffolding and mobile plant. Add other controls and a close-approach consent process. See working at height and mobile elevating work platforms.
Underground cables are just as dangerous. Locate services before any digging, and remember that service lines feeding a property are live and cannot be turned off at the building's main switch. See excavation & trenching and electrical safety & test and tag.
Record your line hazards and keep proof of your controls in one place. Book a demo and we'll show you how it works — free 30-day trial included.
The HSWA primary duty of care, plus the Electricity Act 1992 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, supported by the New Zealand Electrical Codes of Practice and standards. WorkSafe is the regulator.
If you cannot isolate the supply, maintain a minimum approach distance of at least 0.5 m from a low-voltage overhead line with the property owner's written consent, or at least 4 m without it, with specific distances for scaffolding and mobile plant.
No. A live overhead line can kill on contact even if it appears insulated. Treat all lines as live unless they have been isolated, tested for dead and earthed by a competent person.
Only trained, competent and authorised people using approved procedures, tools and equipment, in line with the relevant codes of practice.
Yes. Underground cables are live and dangerous. Locate services before digging, and remember service lines feeding a property cannot be turned off at the building's main switch.
