WorkSafe AFL Victoria Country and Energy Safe Victoria have partnered to bring vital safety messages to those in regional Victoria, through the avenue of football.
AFL Victoria Country believes the wellbeing and safety of those associated with country footy leagues is important, and it is imperative players, officials and volunteers across all footy clubs stay safe whether it’s playing footy, at work or at home.
The weekend of August 22nd/23rd has been designated as the official ‘Look Up and Live Round’ to drive home Energy Safe Victoria’s message around the importance of safety around electricity.
This year they will host a special event at Shepparton’s Deakin Reserve during the match between Shepparton United and Shepparton Bears, to promote the long-running campaign which aims to reduce the number of powerline-related accidents and deaths around country Victoria.
Clubs have volunteered across the state to hand out look up and live re-usable coffee cups at country football matches in the hope that fathers, sons, brothers and everybody who works near electricity will keep the cups handy and remember this vital message.
During the ‘Look Up And Live Round’ Energy Safe Victoria will also unveil new farm safety signs that can be affixed to fences or poles to remind drivers that there are overhead powerlines on the property and that trucks should not be tipped under or near powerlines.
Three Victorians have died in the past 12 years as a result of tipper trucks contacting powerlines while making deliveries to farms.
Victoria’s Director of Energy Safety, Paul Fearon, said all farmers should be aware of the location of powerlines on their property and ensure that deliveries do not take place anywhere near them.
“You can’t be complacent when it comes to electricity,” Mr Fearon said. “It can kill in an instant.”
Farm workers and drivers need to be particularly careful at dawn and dusk when powerlines can be particularly hard to see.
But it is not only delivery trucks that pose a risk when working near powerlines. Over the past few years, Energy Safe Victoria has investigated a range of incidents involving accidental contact with powerlines caused by mobile grain silos and augers, headers, excavators, spray booms, irrigation pipes, elevating work platforms, scissor lifts and scaffolding.
“No matter what your task on the farm, if you’re working near powerlines you always need to remember to
Look up and live,” Mr Fearon said.
For more information or to order your free farm safety sign go to www.esv.vic.gov.au
Last Modified on 27/09/2016 17:48