SA Power Networks Urges Farm Safety Amid Spike in Incidents

SA Power Networks is urging farmers to prioritise safety following a sharp rise in incidents involving machinery and high-voltage infrastructure.

Fifteen such incidents have already been recorded this year, including three in a single 24-hour period across regional South Australia last week.

Operations Manager Josh Newnham warns that each case had the potential to result in serious injury or death, particularly as sowing activity increases across the state.

Recent incidents at Bute, Cudlee Creek and Cockaleechie, along with a separate outage at Culburra affecting more than one hundred customers, highlight the risks posed by contact with powerlines.

Farmers are being reminded to maintain a minimum clearance of three metres from

overhead lines and to identify all poles and wires before beginning work in paddocks.

Authorities say simple precautions—such as avoiding dusty conditions, not relying solely on GPS, and staying in vehicles if contact occurs—could prevent tragedy and reduce avoidable power outages.