13/05/2025
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ?
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 weโd repaired the network, some were delayed due to unsafe private electrical fixtures at individual properties โ private poles that needed to be replaced, damaged points of attachment, and meter boxes that were definitely NOT good to go ๐ซ.
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 theyโd been living with, or what they needed to do to get it resolved.
In the same way that weโre responsible for keeping the distribution network in good shape, property owners are responsible for maintaining safe electrical fittings past their premisesโ 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, weโve been ramping up inspections to keep private poles and the community safe, and weโll be increasingly focussed on scoping other potentially dangerous private electrical issues (eg unsafe points of attachment and meter boxes).
Weโll 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 โ 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.
โน๏ธ Thereโs some handy info in our Electrical Safety Guide https://bit.ly/3ZdspHa and website https://bit.ly/3ZfYUVb
๐ธ Just a few of the very unsafe customer assets we've come across ๐ง
Electrical Safety Office Master Electricians Australia National Electrical and Communications Association Clean Energy Council
