How to Straighten Power Poles
It’s important to note at the outset of this article that any works performed on electrical power poles and overhead lines requires the services of a qualified and trained specialist in the field.
So you’ve had a storm or bought a property with an overhead electrical supply and now you’ve noticed your pole has a severe lean! What will you do?
Time, time and again property owners are all too often encouraged to replace their power poles that have an excessive lean. But this is not always the cheapest and most efficient option for the property owner. If a pole is in sound condition and has a good footing, most times a simple procedure to realign is all that’s required. This can save thousands of dollars!
“We have a specialist team ready to assess, inspect, install or straighten any of your electrical power poles today”
Performing the Realignment
This is where expert experience, skill and the right machinery is required.
To perform the works you need:
- A compliant pole lifter borer
- A licensed crane operator
- A qualified pole inspector
- An ASP level 2
- An electrically trained ASP2 observer
- An Elevated Operating Platform
- Materials for the pole’s footing
The first task for any job site is planning prior to the works. This involves obtaining any necessary approvals and organising the equipment and qualified personnel to arrive on a dry day with dry ground.
Remember to ensure that all contractors are qualified, trained and have experience in this specialist procedure.
The construction team arrived. All personnel onsite must complete an onsite risk assessment in conjunction with their safe work method statements.
Once the inductions, pre-works meeting and risk assessments are carried out the power needs to be isolated by the qualified and authorised individual. Then when the power has been isolated, proved de-energised, tagged and locked out the works can begin.
The operator for the lifter borer MUST have a NSW high risk work license to operate this machine legally and safely -make sure you verify this prior to commencement of works. When he sets up the site he will ensure that an exclusion perimeter is established which all personnel and livestock must not enter whilst he is performing the realignment unless the operator stops and indicates it’s safe to do so. The isolated mains can remain on the pole during the works depending on factors such as the method of attachment, the angle of the pole lean and site conditions.
The operator can then proceed to realign the pole using the lifter borer to strategically place his boom against the pole’s sweet point, then he’ll extend and realign. If the structure has been excessively on a lean for a long period of time the pole may need to be first temporarily stayed or supported and then excavated on the opposite axis to the lean.
The final stage for the power pole realignment is the footings. The footings will require compaction and majority of the time installation of a material that will harden to maintain the footing strength of the structure. It’s important to remember that use of concrete is only a temporary measure to stabilise the pole and reliance should be based on the depth and quality of the surrounding earth or any stays that have been installed.
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