Energy crews can now refuse to enter yards with dogs

After a series of workers were hospitalised after entering Queensland properties, the state’s electricity providers have implemented new guidelines aimed at keeping employees safe — and it could end hitting you at the hip pocket.

A SPATE of savage dog attacks on energy meter readers has forced the state’s electricity providers to ban its workers from entering any yard where a dog is not securely restrained.

The statewide ban will start on Monday, with workers from Energex and Ergon Energy refusing to read meters in yards with dogs of any size.

The ban comes after the two companies recorded 71 injuries from dog bites and 199 other incidents and close calls between July 2017 and October last year.

It means consumers with dogs face having their usage estimated, possibly leading to higher bills, or having to “self-read” their meter.

Ergon Energy’s Wayne Alderman said the new guidelines were about keeping workers safe.

Ergon Energy’s Herbert area manager, Wayne Alderman, said four workers had to be admitted to hospital after attacks.

“We do have incidents where we’ve had a meter reader grasped by a dog on the back of her head — a young meter reader — and she was actually dragged,” he said.

“She was hospitalised and had some very serious injuries around her head and her ear.

“We’ve had people in the southeast part of the state that have had to go in for surgery to their hands because their tendons have been damaged.”

This Ergon Energy worker was left in hospital after a savage dog attack.

There were 71 injuries due to dog bites between July 2017 and October 2018.

Mr Alderman said workers would not do work of any kind if there was an unrestrained dog on the property.

“We’ll talk to customers about what options are available and, if no one is home, we will leave information to help them do a self-read,” he said.

“In some cases where there is a dangerous dog or known access issue, a remote read meter will be installed.”

More than 140,000 remote read meters have been installed in southeast Queensland. Energex crews read more than 40,000 meters at 25,000 homes and businesses across southeast Queensland every day, while Ergon crews operate in the rest of the state.

The attacks have prompted the new guidelines for meter readers.

Meter readers will decide themselves if it’s safe to enter a property.

Meter readers will have the sole authority to decide if a property is safe to enter.

Energex acting group manager for customer and market operations Rob Mitchell said safety was the top priority.

Dog owner Danica Jeffrey lives in a Taringa apartment, but said she understood why people might be upset if their meters were overlooked because of a friendly dog.

“It would be frustrating for me, though, with Shadowfax — because he’s fine with people,” she said.