13/05/2025
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲?
Over summer, we reconnected power to more than half a million Qld properties after natural disasters. While most of these reconnections were relatively straightforward once we’d repaired the network, some were delayed due to unsafe private electrical fixtures at individual properties – private poles that needed to be replaced, damaged points of attachment, and meter boxes that were definitely NOT good to go 🚫.
In some cases, the damage was caused by wild weather; but in others, it was clear that the problems had occurred and deteriorated over time, and property owners were unaware of the risk they’d been living with, or what they needed to do to get it resolved.
In the same way that we’re responsible for keeping the distribution network in good shape, property owners are responsible for maintaining safe electrical fittings past their premises’ service wire. This includes private property poles, points of attachment (where our service wires connect to a building), and meter boxes. Over the past few years, we’ve been ramping up inspections to keep private poles and the community safe, and we’ll be increasingly focussed on scoping other potentially dangerous private electrical issues (eg unsafe points of attachment and meter boxes).
We’ll continue to advise property owners if we spot an issue, so that they can engage a licenced electrical contractor to rectify the risk ASAP to ensure ongoing safe supply of electricity. We also strongly encourage property owners to have private poles regularly inspected, and to proactively get their sparkie in to check and rectify any suspected POA or other issues. (And remember – never, ever DIY electrical work. This is strictly a job for the professionals.)
This collaborative approach means that together, potentially dangerous defects can be spotted and remedied early; preventing smaller issues becoming bigger dramas like loss of supply, bushfires, or electric shocks.
ℹ️ There’s some handy info in our Electrical Safety Guide https://bit.ly/3ZdspHa and website https://bit.ly/3ZfYUVb
📸 Just a few of the very unsafe customer assets we've come across 😧
Electrical Safety Office Master Electricians Australia National Electrical and Communications Association Clean Energy Council
