Flagpole safety in New Zealand: wind, power lines and work at height

A flagpole is a tall, slender structure that stands in the open and catches the wind, often for decades. Most of the risks come from four things: wind, power lines, work at height and wear on the pole and its fittings. In New Zealand, the rules come from the Building Act and its Building Code, the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), the electrical safety rules and the guidance of WorkSafe New Zealand.

Wind

The loads on a flagpole grow with its height and the size of the flag. Under the Building Act 2004, all building work complies with the Building Code, including its structural requirements. NZS 3604, the standard for timber-framed buildings, classifies sites into wind zones according to their maximum design wind speed, as BRANZ explains:

New Zealand is divided into two wind regions and several lee zones, where landforms accelerate the wind above the speeds of the rest of the region. BRANZ Maps shows the zone for each site. For the flag itself, Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage notes that large flags are more suitable for calm days or ceremonial occasions, and that smaller storm flags can be used when wind speeds are expected to exceed 48 knots. A flag larger than the pole is designed for adds load; many manufacturers state a maximum flag size.

Overhead power lines

A flagpole that is lifted into place, lowered on a folding spigot or blown over can reach an overhead line. According to WorkSafe, the safest option when work has to be done near a live low-voltage overhead line is to have the electricity supply to the property isolated first. Where that is not possible:

• without the written consent of the property owner, workers keep a minimum approach distance of at least 4 metres from the line
• with the property owner’s written consent, the distance is at least 0.5 metres
• the property owner owns the electrical assets inside the property boundary, including the overhead line
• separate distances apply to ladders, scaffolding and mobile plant such as cranes.

The distances are specified by law in NZECP 34, the New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice for Electrical Safe Distances, and WorkSafe advises getting advice from a competent electrical worker before work near a line starts.

Underground services

Digging a footing can damage cables and pipes. beforeUdig is a free online service through which anyone undertaking excavation can obtain information on the location of cables, pipes and other utility assets in and around the dig site. More in the guide to installing a flagpole.

Work at height

Replacing a halyard, freeing a stuck flag or servicing the truck at the top of a pole is work at height. According to WorkSafe, a fall from a height is likely to result in a serious injury, and preventing falls is actively managed. WorkSafe publishes guidance on working at height, equipment such as elevating work platforms and scaffolding, and a fact sheet on ladders and stepladders. A folding spigot that allows the pole to be lowered to the ground avoids most work at height. How it works is explained in the guide to how a flagpole works.

Duties at workplaces

At schools, councils, marae, clubs and businesses, the flagpole is part of the workplace. Under HSWA, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) manages the risks to workers and others so far as is reasonably practicable, including those who raise and lower the flag and those who maintain the pole. WorkSafe’s guidance on power lines also covers situations where several businesses share a site. A pole with an internal halyard behind a lockable access point, such as those supplied by Flagmakers, reduces the risk of tampering and vandalism. More in the guide to flagpoles for businesses.

Wear and inspection

Corrosion at the base, loose bolts on a base mount, a worn halyard or a cracked pulley can turn a sound pole into a hazard. Regular checks, and checks after storms, are part of the upkeep described in the guide to flagpole maintenance.