26 July, 2023
Tractor causes West Prairie power outage
Farms in West Prairie suffered two power outages within a week, the first of which affected the Kerwee Feedlot at Jondaryan.
Ergon Energy’s Brett Judge said the first outage, which lasted over 24 hours was caused by a damaged pole that had to be replaced.
“It was a complex job and that’s why it was an extended outage,” he said.
A second outage which occurred on Monday last week was caused by a tractor hitting overhead lines.
“This caused stay wires to be pulled out,” Mr Judge said.
“Our automatic protection equipment kicked in and no injuries were sustained as a result.
“Crews had to repair and safety check the pole and equipment before turning power back on.”
“It’s a really good reminder for people working on the land to be aware of powerlines in the areas they’re using equipment.”
On average, every six days, somewhere in Queensland, farm machinery hits powerlines.
Last year there were 57 incidents where tractors, trucks, augers, harvesters, slashers and tree felling equipment contacted the power network.
It’s an ongoing pattern which has crews in the field deeply worried.
Ergon Energy Area Manager Matthew Oar says that the majority of these contacts were with our high-voltage overhead powerlines.
“It really sends a chill through me just thinking about it,” he said.
“There has been a surge in the number of contacts made by tractors – they’ve more than doubled, from six in 2021 to 16 last year.
“We want everyone to stay focused and stay safe so that at the end of their day’s work, they can go home to their loved ones.”
For harvester and haul-out operators working around the clock, situational awareness is also critical.
“Sometimes people are so focused on the task at hand they don’t see the inherent dangers out there,” Mr Oar said.
“It just takes a momentary lapse in concentration and suddenly, you’re facing the risk of electrocution, so it’s important to take the time to assess the area you’re working in, especially the location of any power poles and powerlines.
“There’s been a very slight reduction in agriculture equipment contacting powerlines year-on-year, from 61 in 2021
to 57 in the past 12 months, and while it’s good to see any reduction, having dangerous events happening weekly is not cause for celebration and we should all be extremely concerned.”
Mr Oar said spinning powerline markers were a vibrant reminder to Look Up and Live.
“They’re a great visual indicator of powerlines in those high-traffic areas where you’re spraying, cropping, harvesting or loading.
“They quickly jog your memory to stay a safe distance away from live wires to prevent life-threatening accidents, injuries or fires on your farm.
“Powerline markers are cost-effective and it’s a very simple measure you can implement to keep you and anyone else working on your farm safe,” he said.
Ergon Energy is continuing its safety campaign asking people working around powerlines to Look Up and Live - and if you accidentally contact a power pole or wires, STAY in the vehicle, CALL triple zero and WAIT for help.
“You really need to look out for powerlines when you’re working on a property or farm because poles and wires can blend into the surroundings, but the risk is real and if you ignore it the consequences can be devastating,” Mr Oar said.
Parts of this article were taken from a media release on the Ergon Energy website.
For more information on working around powerlines, head to https://www.ergon.com.au/network/safety/your-industry/agriculture
