Sunshine Coast crew members and staff are among those being hit with widespread verbal and physical abuse from customers, in one of the state’s longest-established service companies.
Energex is so fed up with what it calls a “shocking amount of verbal abuse, physical assaults and threats of violence” that police escorts are required at callouts to nearly 800 sites, including some on the Sunshine Coast.
The company’s communications arm was forced to take the extraordinary move of putting out an official statement reminding Queenslanders that everyone – including field crews, meter readers and call centre operators – deserved to feel safe at work and that personal attacks would not be tolerated.
Energex executive general manager operations Paul Jordon revealed that since 2019, a total of 302 incidents had been reported by Energex employees and contractors, including death threats and assaults.
Other common incidents included attempted assaults and threatening behaviour from customers.
A spokesperson confirmed police assistance was needed at 41 properties on the Sunshine Coast.
One of the worst incidents was a person spitting at one of the Sunshine Coast crews.
Ergon Energy Network and Energex are part of the Energy Queensland Group. The southeast Queensland electricity distribution network service provider is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the infrastructure such as the low-voltage poles, wires, transformers and substations that makes it possible for electricity to reach homes.
Mr Jordan said crews working on the electricity network had enough hazards to focus on without having to worry about abusive customers.
“It is completely unacceptable that people who are just doing their job have been threatened with weapons, assaulted, spat at, had vicious dogs released on them or been verbally abused by members of the community,” he said.
“There is no excuse for abuse.
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“Our crews strive to keep their communities safe during storms, floods, fires, vehicle accidents and business as usual when they are maintaining and upgrading the network.
“It’s not much to ask for some common courtesy from customers instead of being yelled at or having things thrown at you from passing vehicles when you are doing high-risk work.”
Mr Jordan said that in the worst-case scenarios, police were forced to be contacted and become involved.
“These types of incidents can have a lasting effect on the victims,” Mr Jordan said.
“Even when the threat of violence does not lead to physical injuries, it can have a serious impact on their mental health.
“We have identified 783 sites that our crews are unable to attend without a police escort because of the customer’s previous behaviour or threats.”
Energex executive general manager customer Michael Dart said abusive customers were also taking their toll on call centre staff.
“We have a dedicated team who answer the phones 24/7 and provide lifesaving advice to customers when there are serious electrical faults, like fallen powerlines or shocks and tingles,” he said.
“While most people are courteous and reasonable, some of the callers they encounter are incredibly threatening and downright abusive.
“We understand that people can get stressed and frustrated at times, and we are always willing to listen to their concerns and complaints, but there is no excuse for abuse.”
Mr Dart encouraged customers with concerns to use the online feedback form rather than attack individuals at Complaints – Energex
“We teach our kids not to resort to verbal or physical attacks when they are dealing with problems in the playground and the same applies in the community and the workplace,” he said.
“Whether you’re a power worker, a paramedic or a pharmacy assistant, you deserve to feel safe at work and, as customers, we all have a role to play in ensuring the people who are delivering a whole range of services in our communities feel safe and supported.”
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