The following response was sent to the ESAA on 02 December
2002:
Dear Sir,
Thank you for the letter dated 15 April 2002 , in response to our
recommendations arising from Occurrence Report 200100252, a fatal
helicopter accident in Bencubbin Western Australia.
In a meeting between the ATSB and you in Canberra on the 23 October
2001, the ESAA's role within the electrical industry was explained
in detail to us. While we understood that our recommendations could
not be given any power of enforcement by the ESAA, it was
nevertheless considered that the best method of dissemination of
these recommendations to the industry was through the ESAA and its
subcommittees. This was also true of any later coordination, by the
National Electricity Network Steering Committee, of effort to
respond on an industry wide basis.
For these reasons, the ESAA was considered ideally situated to
assist in the promotion of our common goal of a safer industry work
environment for both the aviation and the electrical industry
personnel involved in these low level-flying tasks.
We thank you for your efforts in this regard and look forward to
the development over the coming months of the guidelines alluded to
in your letter. Hopefully, with industry wide participation in
their formulation, it may be that industry wide voluntary adoption
of these guidelines will merely be a formality.
I would be pleased if you could keep the ATSB informed as to the
progress of these activities. To this end, if not contacted sooner,
I would like to correspond with you further on these matters at the
end of your proposed development period, that is around April
2003.
If you have any queries please contact Investigator in
Charge.
Yours faithfully,
Director
Safety Investigations
02 December 2002
The following is a copy of the follow up letter to the ESAA dated
23rd April 2003:
Dear Sir,
On Friday 11th April 2003, the West Australian Deputy Coroner
handed down her findings into the deaths of Western Power
Corporation employee and Preston Helicopter pilot, who died in the
helicopter power line strike accident at Bencubbin in January 200
1. In her findings, she made several recommendations with regard to
Wire Strike Protection System (WSPS) fitment to helicopters engaged
in low level flight, power pole marking in a cross-country
background and power company personnel training m workplace hazard
identification.
This tragic event also generated several safety recommendations
issued by the ATSB to the ESAA which have been under consideration
by an ESAA National Electricity Network Steering Committee (NENSC)
for this past year. As I alluded to in my previous communication of
02 December last year, I am now corresponding to inquire as to the
progress of the NENSC at the passing of this twelve-month
development period.
The investigator in charge (IIC) of this accident has also been in
communication with a member of the NENSC working group in Brisbane,
and understands much valuable work has been accomplished on the
draft of a new ESAA document 'National Guidelines for Aerial
Surveillance of Overhead Electricity Networks" (AS), of which a
copy was kindly supplied. The IIC has, in turn, provided a copy of
the Coroner's findings and recommendations arising from her
inquiry.
I understand the draft AS document dated 24 February 2003 is close
to its final form and addresses many of the ATSB recommendations
directed to the ESAA. When ratified, this document will be a
significant safety tool to enhance AS flight operations throughout
Australia
Could you please advise the ATSB of ESAA's expected timetable for
ratification and industry adoption of this document? It would also
be appreciated if a copy of the accepted document in its final form
could be forwarded to the ATSB for inclusion on the file. This
information will enable the responsible IIC to close the relevant
ESAA safety recommendations and finalise the investigation.
If you have any queries please contact the IIC.
Yours sincerely
Director
