NZECP34 and close approach consent
If you plan to work near our overhead or underground network, you may require a close approach consent to ensure the work is conducted safely, and to avoid any costly damage.
For safety reasons and to comply with NZECP 34, you need a Close Approach Consent if you intend to:
- Work within 4m of overhead lines
- Excavating within 5m of a power pole or within 12m of a tower or pylon
- Excavate within 2m of strategic gas mains
To help you find out if you require a close approach consent, request our reference maps showing the approximate location of our underground electricity and fibre cables, and our gas pipes. The maps will indicate whether strategic gas mains are present.
What is NZECP 34?
New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice for Electrical Safe Distances
Whether you’re a property developer, architect, surveyor, builder, scaffolder, roofer – or even a homeowner putting up a fence, sign, a marquee or laying a driveway – it’s important to know your legal obligations around building and working near power lines and power poles.
The purpose of NZECP 34 is to protect people, property, vehicles and mobile plant from the risk of electrocution, serious injury and expensive damages or remedial works.
Confirming compliance with NZECP 34 in the early stages of your planning is a must to ensure work near power lines and power poles can be done safely and to avoid any disruption to your plans or additional costs, such as changing architectural plans or relocating overhead power lines later.
As a result of Auckland Unitary Plan Change 78 you need to be more diligent about maintaining a safe distance for your planned construction. It is now even more important to know your obligations under NZECP 34.
Remember: an approved resource or building consent does not mean compliance with NZECP 34.
Failure to comply with NZECP 34 could lead to prosecution by WorkSafe.
What does NZECP 34 cover?
Each section of NZECP 34 sets out safe distance requirements for different types of works near power poles and lines. If you need to work closer to our power poles and lines than those distances mandated by NZECP 34, you will need to request a Close Approach Consent (CAC) from us. Depending on the type of works you are carrying out, you may need to prepare specific documentation before a CAC will be issued. Use the below buttons to jump to a guide of what is required for each type of work.
NZECP Section 2: Digging, excavation and other earthworks near poles and towers
NZECP Section 2: Construction near poles and towers
NZECP Section 3: Construction and scaffolds near overhead lines
NZECP Section 5: Mobile plant near overhead lines
NZECP Section 9: People working near overhead lines
What are Close Approach Consents (CACs)?
Close Approach Consents are a form of written permission to work in close proximity to electricity equipment. They are a requirement as part of various sections of NZECP 34 and for working near some Vector equipment.
CACs contain information about the site, the works, and the special working conditions intended to keep workers and property safe.
Where the conditions for a consent are met, no works should take place until the consent is issued.
To request a close approach consent please contact Vector on 0508 832 867. You should read through the relevant section linked above to find out what information you are required to provide.
Close approach consents are valid for 28 days (or less) from the date of issue. It is your responsibility to arrange a new close approach consent appointment before the current consent expires.
FAQs
Close approach consents will be valid for 28 days from the date of issue.
Unless circumstances indicate otherwise, close approach consents will be issued to the site supervisor or work team supervisor. It is expected that the site supervisor or work team supervisor ensures that the details of the issued consent are fully communicated, fully understood and accepted by everyone who works on the site to which the consent applies, including subcontractors and digger operators.