Working around our network

Everything you need to know about how to stay safe when working near or around our transmission lines, cables, towers or poles.  

1. If in doubt, talk to us first 

If you're undertaking any work near transmission lines - contact us first. We can help you manage the work to ensure safety around your site and inform you whether or not your work requires approval from us first. This helps ensure the safety of your workers, subcontractors, the public, and our assets.

You can contact us by:

2. Plan ahead - know what utilities are in your area

Before carrying out any work at your home or at work, it is important to consider what utilities are in the area. Accidental damage to a utility is not only a costly inconvenience, but it can also be very dangerous. Some utilities are easier to identify such as overhead transmission lines, power poles and other structures. Others are harder to identify and locate as they may be buried beneath the surface.  

To find out where are our assets are located you can find our maps and geospatial data here. 

If you need to work around overhead lines or structures, reach out to the local electricity distribution company in your area. If you are undertaking work that requires digging underground, use beforeUdig - a free service that helps you to determine the presence of underground assets. 

Depending on the nature of your work, you may also need to complete an Electrical Hazard Management Plan. Guidance on what this may involve is available here.

3. Take note of your surroundings – look up, beneath and around

Look up and check where lines are before undertaking work, and raising any lifting equipment including tractor attachments, augers, or ladders. Electricity can arc through the air even without direct contact.

It's important that you inspect your equipment regularly to ensure boom heights are within safe operating limits and consider using a spotter to increase visibility when working around transmission assets.

We encourage you to use signs and stickers to help remind you and your teams to 'Look out and look up.' We have resources available - to request these for your site or equipment, contact us or email us direct at: [email protected].  

4. Maintain Safe distances 

Select a safe route when moving tall machinery – a route where the transmission lines are high enough to give at least a 6-metre clearance.   

Always keep yourself, your vehicle or anything you are touching at least 4 meters away from 110kV lines and at least 6 meters away from 220kV lines. If you’re unsure what voltage the transmission line is, stay at least 6 meters away. 

Permanent structures like buildings must be well clear of assets - 12 metres from any tower or 8 metres from any pole.

If your work involves getting closer to our assets, please contact us. 

5. Know what to do in an emergency 

  • If you see a transmission line is down - call 111 immediately. Keep everyone as far away as possible from the line and anything making contact with it. The ground around a fallen line may still carry dangerous voltage.
  • If your machine contacts a line or you see a flash - stay put. Do not move or exit your machine unless there is an immediate danger such as fire. 
  • If you must evacuate your machine - jump clear. Keep both feet together and don’t touch the machine and ground at the same time as this creates a path for electricity to flow through your body. Then shuffle or hop away, small steps reduce the chance of shock. 

Additional safety information for specific industries

Safety for Farmers

Most of your day-to-day activities should be unaffected by the presence of our transmission lines. However, there are some things to be aware of – especially when you’ve got your head down and you’re focusing on the task at hand, not on what’s around you.  

Park stock trucks and large vehicles (such as harvesters) away from overhead lines, and work well away from towers and poles. Keep clear of transmission lines when working on the upper levels of stock trucks or on high loads.  
  
Look up and check where lines are before raising any tractor attachments, augers, ladders, or using any lifting equipment or raising dump truck beds.  

Be careful with your irrigation system. Store, load and unload metal irrigation pipes well away from power lines. If you need to stand them up, make sure you’re well clear of any lines. Keep jet irrigators and the booms of rotary irrigators clear of all power lines. The tips of rotary irrigators must be kept 6 metres from power lines at all times whether they are in use or not.  

Be cautious when moving vehicles with elevated platforms (e.g. grain augers, ladders, drills and dump truck beds). Always have lifting equipment in a lowered position before moving it under lines. Know where the lines are.  

Select a safe route when moving tall machinery – a route where the transmission lines are high enough to give at least a 6 metre clearance.   

Manage growth  

Trees and vegetation must always be more than 4 metres away from 110 kV lines, and 6 metres away from 220 kV lines. Vegetation management is a key part of keeping safe around transmission lines and towers. Trees growing too close to power lines may cause: A fault which will affect the operation of the line injury or death to someone near the tree damage to land and property.  

Although it’s quite common to use the roadside for grazing or haymaking, make sure you find out where underground power cables or gas mains are first!  

If in doubt, ask us  

One of our people can visit you to discuss your particular situation and advise on the potential impact and risks of what you want to do and how to proceed (for example, you may need to obtain engineering advice). We can help you manage the work to ensure safety around your site, and in most cases, this will be at no cost to you. If you want to talk to us about something (e.g. the voltage of transmission lines you will be working near), call 0508 526 369 (0508 LANDOWNER).  

More information can be found on the Landowners section of our website. 

Safety for drone operators 

Aerial drones or unmanned aircraft and electrical lines don’t mix.  

Operating a drone close to electricity infrastructure can be hazardous. High-voltage lines generate electromagnetic fields that may interfere with your drone’s GPS and navigation systems. This interference can lead to serious incidents, such as collisions with transmission lines, nearby structures, the ground or people.  

Electrical wires can be difficult to see and it’s often challenging to judge how far away they are from your drone. Beyond safety concerns, flying too close to live equipment could cause an electrical flashover, which can destroy your drone and potentially interrupt power supply. 

Information about operating aerial drones legally in New Zealand can be obtained from the Civil Aviation Authority, and from the Airshare website.  

Planning to fly a drone near Transpower’s lines or stations?   

Check out these resources to find out how to do so safely:  

Or contact us at [email protected] More information can be found here.  

Safety for horticulturalists and pickers

As well as the information outlined above, here are specific tips on how to work safely around our assets if you are working are a horticulturalists or picker. 

  • Be cautious when moving vehicles with elevated platforms (e.g. grain augers, ladders, drills and dump truck beds). 
  • Always have lifting equipment in a lowered position before moving it under lines. 
  • Being aware of transmission lines during setup and adjustment tasks like tensioning wires or installing netting which can change how things sit near lines.
  • Selecting a safe route when moving tall machinery – a route where the transmission lines are high enough to give at least a 6 metre clearance.   
  • Vegetation must not be within 4m of a conductor and shall be trimmed when within 5m of a conductor (Notice Zone). Any part of any mobile plant or load carried must be at least 4 metres away from 110 kV lines or 6m away from 120kV transmission lines. If you don’t know the voltage of the lines, stay 6m away.  
  • Discuss any plan to alter the ground level under a transmission line/ communications cable with Transpower, to ensure that clearances are not compromised and maintained as your block develops. Written consent may be required before working around Transpower assets.
  • Plan your layout early and check before construction to make sure orchard or vineyard design works safely around transmission assets.  
  • Plan for safe distances when installing or modifying structures like trellis systems, poles, netting and irrigation.
  • Install physical stops, markers and well-planned layouts (including trellis systems, poles, netting and irrigation) to prevent encroachment into unsafe areas.
  • Regularly check equipment height and manage plant growth over time so vines, trees and structures do not drift into unsafe distances.
  • Consider how work and growth change overtime and potentially encroach safe distances from transmission assets. 

Additional resources

Safety for construction workers

As well as the information outlined above, here are specific tips on how to work safely around our assets if you work in construction.

  • Always plan layout early and check before construction. Written consent maybe required before working around 
    Transpower assets. If in doubt, contact our landowner team by calling: 0800 LANDOWNER. 
  • Make sure all equipment, high loads or people on vehicles are kept well clear of overhead transmission lines.
  • Use remote-controlled, truck-mounted cranes (Hiabs) to give operators a better view from a safe distance.
  • Consider other methods or machinery that will not reach the transmission lines.
  • Install physical stops or markers to prevent encroachment into unsafe areas.
  • Inspect equipment regularly to ensure boom heights and pivots are within safe operating limits.
  • Permanent structures must be built well clear of assets. This applies to pump houses, sheds, stock shelters, permanent fences, or other permanent buildings.
    • 12m from any tower.
    • 8m from any pole.
    • Temporary conductive fences should be at least 5m from assets
Safety for Agricultural Aviation Pilots 

As well as the information outlined above, here are specific tips on how to work safely around our assets if you are an Agricultural Aviation Pilot. 

  • Effective planning is critical when operating near transmission assets. Develop a plan to stay safe and 
    consider how our assets operate and respond.
  • All aircraft operations (including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)) must comply with their relevant Civil Aviation 
    Authority (CAA) Rules. Transpower asset maps and GIS data can be found here. 
  • Be aware of transmission assets around you – transmission lines, towers, substations and other structures. Maintain a minimum separation distance (vertical and horizontal) of 20 metres from transmission lines when operating an aircraft.
  • When flying over ice and snow-loaded wires, remember that rotor wash can cause material to break off the lines 
    causing them to rise tens of metres. 
  • At slow speeds, loss of tail rotor effectiveness, settling with power, or mechanical failure are risk factors for line strike.
  • Be aware of earth (shield) wires. They are thinner, harder to see, and often higher than main conductors, 
    especially at mid‑span.
  • Be extra vigilant when operating suspended loads.
  • Steel or conductive lifting cables can become electrically charged through induction. 
  • Induction can be mitigated by adhering to the recommended setbacks or using an earthing system. Transpower can advise you on appropriate earthing.
  • Contact Transpower for approval before flying a drone if you plan to operate:
    • 12–25 metres from or above transmission lines (anything 
      under 12 m is prohibited),
    • Within 25 metres horizontally of a substation.

 

Safety