Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) has announced the integration of the Look Up and Live tool alongside the underground plan service, building on its commitment to safety with a comprehensive, one-stop resource for Australians planning work near above-ground and underground utility infrastructure.
Originally developed by Ergon Energy Network and Energex in 2017 to promote safe work practices near Queensland’s electricity network, the Look Up and Live app has since expanded to include overhead networks in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.
BYDA is a member-based industry representative body dedicated to preventing damage to utility infrastructure resulting from construction and ground-breaking activities. Its mission is to prevent community disruption, protect people and property from harm, and ultimately achieve zero damage, zero harm, and zero disruption.
BYDA CEO Mell Greenall acknowledged the significant contributions Ergon and Energex had made in advancing overhead safety through the development and promotion of this lifesaving app, which has received state and national awards, along with international recognition.
“BYDA looks forward to fostering a strong working relationship with these organisations as it continues to elevate the importance of working safely around utility infrastructure, striving toward the shared goal of zero damage, zero harm, and zero disruption,” he said.
Contact with overhead powerlines remains a significant safety risk in Australia. Over the past 20 years, more than 135 people have tragically lost their lives due to contact with overhead powerlines, with many more suffering life-altering injuries, including permanent disabilities.
The Look Up and Live app equips those working near power networks with essential tools and resources to ensure their safety. The app provides users with real-time access to powerline locations and imagery, free of charge, via an interactive geospatial map. It allows for real-time location searches, map overlays with third-party mapping programs, and the option to print maps as needed.
16 powerline owners in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria contribute data across a total of two million square kilometres, pinpointing 5.2 million poles and towers, and 791,387 km of powerlines.
There are 220,000 uses of lookupandlive.com each year and over 80,000 downloads of the app. When combined with BYDA’s existing free online underground plan service, which offers utility plans and critical safety information for underground utilities, BYDA’s adoption of Look Up and Live creates seamless, easy-to-use safety tools for anyone undertaking work near critical utility infrastructure.
“As part of our unwavering commitment to safety, BYDA is dedicated to making it as straightforward and practical as possible to work safely near utilities. By integrating Look Up and Live with Before You Dig, we are simplifying the process of accessing utility plans and essential safety information, empowering workers to operate safely around utility infrastructure,” Mell said.
“This further embeds BYDA as a trusted source for utility safety information and simplifies safety planning for the construction sector and broader community.
“Through BYDA’s established education framework, we will seamlessly integrate aboveground utility safety into our existing underground safety messaging, which we already deliver successfully to over 15,000 people each year.
“This integration will enable us to enhance the Look Up and Live app by expanding its reach to include all utility network operators with above-ground infrastructure. This means that gas, water, and telecommunications aboveground assets will be viewable alongside the existing power infrastructure, providing a more comprehensive safety resource.”