Transport
What is a high load?
Travel requirements
Responsibilities
This caters for transport operators exposed to the risk of making contact with exposed live parts, such as electric lines, when moving high loads.
What is a high load?
There are four categories of high load. The categories of high load are based on the maximum travel height above the road and carry different responsibilities:
|
Category No. |
Maximum travel height of load above road |
|
1 |
Up to 4.6 metres |
|
2 |
Over 4.6 metres, and up to 5.0 metres |
|
3 |
Over 5.0 metres, and up to 5.5 metres |
|
4 |
Over 5.5 metres |
Notification details
|
Category No. |
Notification details |
|
1 |
Transport can be carried out without any notification |
|
2 3 4 |
Notification must be forwarded to the electricity network owner. It must include:
|
Travel requirements
For the higher loads, you should check the intended route for safe transport. This is known as ‘scoping’. This is to check the suitability of, and the requirements necessary for, safe transport of the high load. This is done by physically checking the intended route as circumstances require.
You should allow for changes in the road profile (such as dips), and the distance between the front and rear wheel axles.
Scoping may not be required where the requirements for transporting a high load over a particular route can be assessed by other means, such as referring to the network owner’s records.
Generally, you can transport category 1 and category 2 loads without an escort.
For category 3 loads you may need an escort depending on the outcome of your travel assessment.
You must have an escort for category 4 loads.
Full travel requirements are available in section 9.5 of the Code of Practice - Working Near Exposed Live Parts.
Responsibilities
Network owner
The electricity network owner’s responsibilities regarding transport of high loads include:
- providing relevant electricity network information to transport operators and escort service providers
- advising of precautions for scoping and assessing high loads and escorting high loads, which address the electricity hazards of these activities
Escort service provider
The escort service provider’s responsibilities in relation to the transport of high loads include:
- ensuring that only persons with appropriate training are engaged to perform relevant activities associated with escorting the high load
- informing the network owner if load and route do not conform to the notification details
- using only specialised equipment, especially where the equipment may come into contact with exposed live parts
- notifying the network owner of operational electrical safety problems that have been identified (eg, damage to network assets)
- directing road transport operators to ensure electrical safety is maintained
Road transport operator (RTO)
A road transport operator’s responsibilities in relation to the transport of high loads include:
- notifying the network owner of the intention to move a high load near network assets
- providing accurate information about high loads to the network owner
- complying with precautions required by the network owner
- complying with directions of the escort service provider
Where an escort service provider is not required, the RTO must contact the electricity network owner about operational matters affecting electrical safety. An example of this would be in the case of the high load transport encountering electric lines that are lower than the minimum clearance prescribed in the regulation.
Scoping service provider or network assessor
This is an electricity network owner, or a person or a company who carries out scoping or assessing in accordance with the network owner’s safety precautions.
The scoping service provider’s or network assessor’s responsibility in relation to the transport of high loads is to provide accurate information about the network through which the high load is to be transported.
More information on transporting high loads near electric lines is available in section 9 of the Code of Practice - Working Near Exposed Live Parts.
Last updated July 16, 2005
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