Who is who in the Electrical Supply Industry (in Victoria)

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV)
Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) is the safety regulator responsible for electrical and gas safety in Victoria, “The Government body”. Details can be found on ESVs website.
Victoria’s statutory electrical safety requirements (as administered by ESV) are set out in the Energy Safe Victoria Act 2005, Electricity Safety Act 1998 and associated regulations. Sitting underneath these requirements is the Code of Practice on electrical safety for work on or near high voltage electrical apparatus, Victoria 2022, the “Blue Book”. This Code of Practice has been developed by the Electrical Safety Committee (ESC), which has been established under Section 8 of the Energy Safe Victoria Act 2005.

The purpose of this Code of Practice is to provide practical guidance in maintaining safe systems of work in relation to control of risks associated with work on or near, or in the vicinity of, high voltage electrical apparatus in Victoria. Hence everyone working around high voltage electrical apparatues must meet the requirements of the “Blue Book”.

The Blue Book 2022

Additional guidance is provided to those carrying out vegetation management work around powerlines (when not working for the power company, eg councils) in two ESV documents:

Electrical Safety Rules for Vegetation Management Work Near Overhead Powerlines by Non-Electrical Workers

Training approval statement “Course in Vegetation Management” Issue Date – 16 September 2013

As per the last two documents ESI Training and Consulting can deliver annual refresher training in this area.

Victorian Electrical Supply Industry (VESI)

VESI is a grouping of the 5 Victorian Electrical Supply Companies within Victoria “The Power Companies”; Ausnet, Citipower, Jemena, Powercor and United Energy. VESI is not a company, corporation nor a business, it is a registered trade mark and when the five Major Electricity Companies jointly agree to a procedure, practice or process then they brand it as a VESI document to enable consistency, compliance and transportability across the companies.
Details can be found on VESI’s website.
VESI requirements therefore only apply when you are working for VESI (A power company). VESI requirements also incorporate ESV requirements. For those not working under VESI, ESV requirements apply.

Key VESI requirements are contained in The Green Book 2023

Requirements for VESI training are set out in the  VESI Skills and Training Guideline. This guideline sets out:

• General VESI training requirements
• Descriptions of worker roles within VESI, eg lineworker
• Descriptions of training courses used within VESI, including how frequently they must be refreshed

Specific training requirements for each “role” are contained in the VESI Skills and Training Matrix It sets out in a matrix format what training is required for each role. Specific roles can also be extracted for more specific information

VESI training and authorisations are tracked via the ESI Worker program, for more information please visit the ESI Worker website

For vegetation work for VESI there are separate documents:

VESI Vegetation Management Guideline

VESI Vegetation Skills and Training Guideline

that provide detail for those carrying out vegetation management works for VESI

If you have any inquiries or would like some additional information please contact ESI Training and Consulting.

Victorian Electrical Distribution Networks (VEDN) 

For those people carrying out VEDN works (accredited contractors who are involved in the civil aspects of underground electrical infrastructure) there is a VEDN area on the VESI website that provides information.  Examples of VEDN works include: