Our vegetation inspection program
In addition to our vegetation management program of naturally occurring trees and vegetation on public land, we undertake an ongoing inspection program identifying trees and vegetation on private property or the responsibility of councils/shires that may be growing in near powerlines.
Our program comprises of:
Vegetation Inspection
1
Notification
2
Cutting
3
Billing
4
We define Natural vegetation as "vegetation which occurs naturally in the area or is an endemic (native to the area) and is not planted, cultivated, tended, watered or fertilised by any other than naturally occurring means…"
Cultivated vegetation is any vegetation with does not fit this criteria.
If trees have been allowed to grow until nearly touching the wires, they are not safe to be cut by anyone except our fault crews. If this is the circumstance when we inspect then we will notify you as usual but indicate that we will cut the trees out of the danger zone, and not to address the situation until we have left a card to say this job has been done.
Clearance zones around powerlines are determined by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (note that their brochure puts typical clearance at 2m as it does not take into account updates to Fire Risk Ratings). The clearance zone is the distance around our wires which must be kept free of branches.
Clearance zones vary depending on the:
- Insulation type
- Voltage
- Distance between each pole
- The fire risk of the area.
Follow the below distances as a guide to typical minimum safe distance between customer's trees and powerlines:
- Urban areas: 2.5m horizontally and 2m below the wires
- Rural areas: 4m horizontally and 2.5m below the wires
Note: Cutting should be performed to ensure that the trees will not grow back into the clearance zone before the power line is inspected again.
Tree regrowth boundaries between property and electrical equipment
- Occupants are responsible for keeping trees trimmed away from Service Wires (We don't cut vegetation from around service wires)
- The occupant remains responsible if they do not to attend to pruning
- The occupant may be liable for any costs resulting from damage caused by trees within the clearance zone
Our safety policy which is in part informed by the Energy Operators (Powers) Act 1979 (section 54), is that the clearance zone either side of our powerline is "Clear to the sky". This exceeds the authority of the Energy Safety Guidelines.
Overhanging trees will be notified on 40-day notices to ensure that you are aware that there may be a risk and can take appropriate action, Energy Safety Guidelines (and our own policy) may allow for very high overhangs where a safety assessment has been carried out by a qualified arborist and deemed of low risk.
The responsibility is expressed in the Energy Operators (Powers) Act 1979 Section 54.
- Property occupier is responsible for all vegetation within the property boundary
- Local shire is responsible for all planted or cultivated vegetation in the verge. The local shires can be held liable if not maintained. Western Power inspects and issues vegetation notices for the council to cut the trees as part of the ongoing Vegetation Program
Depending where the tree is located, it could be your responsibility, your neighbour’s, or the local council/share.
It is the resident’s responsibility to trim trees on private property, even if they are not the homeowner. You may want to check if this is covered in your rental agreement.
As a guide, responsibilities are detailed in the diagram below:
- Tree 1 - Planted on the verge is the responsibility of the local council.
- Tree 2 - The responsibility of the occupier of Property A
- Tree 3 - The responsibility of the occupier of Property B
The Act assigns responsibility to the person/party that is the ‘occupier’. However, It is common for landlords to remain responsible for cutting the trees away from the power lines in the terms of the tenancy agreement.
Our advice is:
- the occupant should forward the notice to the landlord/property manager if they are responsible for maintaining vegetation at the property.
- notices and any resultant invoice for a ‘default cut’ are issued in the name of the electricity account holder. Invoices can be reissued to the property manager or landlord/owner if they request this in writing.
This provision also includes Homeswest (Department of Communities Housing) tenants