Electrical licensing disciplinary action
In November 2022, the Electrical Licensing Committee took disciplinary action against 21 licence holders:
An electrical contractor failed to ensure safe systems of work and procedures were followed in the workplace at the time of the incident that resulted in a fatality. Since the incident the contractor has worked closely with electrical workers ensuring they follow all safe systems of work and procedures, and that all personal protective equipment is always used when working on or near live equipment.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. The contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor and their qualified technical persons (QTPs) must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The contractor was issued with a severe reprimand and a $4,000 penalty.
Note: The Electrical Licensing Committee can only impose on the holder a penalty of not more than 40 penalty units. 1 Penalty unit = $100
Electrical Safety Act 2002 s.109 (1) (e)
An electrical worker failed to identify electrical hazards, assess risk, and implement safe systems work. The worker demonstrated a lack of understanding of lockout/tagout and testing procedures when describing how the incident occurred which resulted in the worker receiving an electric shock.
The Committee determined the worker failed to demonstrate competency in electrical safety and the incident may have been worse if it had not occurred on a hot day. The worker was performing work on a metal roof and was kneeling on a foam interlock mat to protect themselves from the heat. Electrical tape was covering the live wire, however, as it was being pulled through a corrugated conduit the tape was removed and the workers hand made contact.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a reprimand and a $500 penalty.
An electrical worker failed to identify electrical hazards, assess risk, and implement safe systems of work. Whilst installing a new main switchboard for a new PV system the worker failed to complete all mandatory tests and an unterminated earth cable was not identified and subsequently the occupant received an electric shock.
Energex attended the site, and an immediate disconnection was required as there was no submain earth conductor installed to the existing distribution board. The installation was then rectified by the QTP.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a reprimand and a $400 penalty.
A QTP failed to adequately supervise electrical workers on‑site. Mandatory tests were not completed and unterminated earth cable was not identified after a new PV solar system and new main switchboard was installed at a property. As a result, the occupant received an electric shock and contacted Energex who immediately disconnected the power.
The licence holder was immediately disqualified from being a QTP for the holder of an electrical contractor licence and must complete competency units prior to the disqualification being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a reprimand and a $500 penalty.
An electrical contractor failed to implement safe systems of work and procedures and did not adequately audit employees in the field to ensure procedures, legislation and Australian Standards were being met. There was no auditing of workers inspection and testing procedures, and the QTP was not afforded the ability to undertake the role of a QTP to ensure that the PCBU undertook electrical duties in accordance with the Electrical Safety Act 2002.
As a result of these systemic failures work was carried out at a property and both the worker and QTP failure to ensure all mandatory tests were completed which resulted in the occupant receiving an electric shock.
The contractor’s licence was immediately cancelled and they received a severe reprimand.
An electrical worker performed electrical work which was not electrically safe. They undertook a large-scale project which was outside their scope of capability and failed to ensure the earthing system of several distribution boards were adequately earthed. The installation did not meet the requirements of AS/NZS 3000, and the worker failed to identify the missing earthing system as mandatory tests were not performed.
Following the installation, an independent audit occurred which identified numerous breaches of the Wiring Rules, which triggered a notification to the Electrical Safety Office (ESO). Disconnection was required because of the serious defects and immediate electrical risk to people or property.
The worker’s licence was suspended, and they were disqualified from being a QTP for the holder of a contractor’s licence (three months). The worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted and the QTP status being reinstated. The licence holder was issued with a reprimand and a $200 penalty. This was in addition to an $800 penalty imposed by the Electrical Safety Office.
An electrical worker failed to take precautions to prevent de-energised equipment from being inadvertently re-energised and subsequently an apprentice received an electric shock. Work was being carried out to replace several switchboards at a school, the worker failed to recognise the access lights present at the school was a second source of supply and needed to be isolated. As a result, when the apprentice was terminating the access control cable into the relay, they received a shock to the finger.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a reprimand and a $500 penalty. This was in addition to an $200 penalty imposed by the Electrical Safety Office.
An electrical contractor failed to follow safe procedures of lockout/tagout and testing procedures and to adequately supervise an electrical apprentice on-site. Had the safe systems of work been followed correctly, the electrical worker would have detected a second source of supply and isolated it before carrying out any work. Due to this oversight an electrical apprentice received an electric shock.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. The contractor must complete two approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor and received a severe reprimand and a $1,000 penalty.
An electrical worker failed to identify electrical hazards and risks and implement a safe system of work. The worker was carrying out periodic electrical inspections of the council owned Sewerage Pumping Station. The electrical testing included phase rotation testing for the purpose of standardising the councils pump stations for connection of portable generators utilising the generator inlets installed on the switchboards. The worker failed to de-energise the supply and received an electric shock and burns and there was the potential for a more serious incident.
The worker’s licence was suspended, and they were disqualified from being a QTP for the holder of a contractor’s licence for three months. The worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted and the QTP status being reinstated. The licence holder was issued with a reprimand and a $400 penalty.
An electrical contractor failed to implement safe systems of work and procedures and ensure that the QTP had the required training and experience to undertake the role. The Committee established that the QTP did not receive the required support and resources to undertake the role and lacked experience. If the contractor had audit systems in place and ensured there was a safe system of work and procedures an employee wouldn’t have received an electric shock.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. The contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor and their QTPs must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The contractor was issued with a severe reprimand and a $2,000 penalty.
An electrical worker failed to adequately supervise an electrical apprentice on-site. The worker and apprentice were tasked with removing a solar system from a property.
A prestart meeting had been undertaken with the electrical worker and the apprentice, including conducting a risk assessment. The presence of a DC voltage over 500v on the cables and at the isolator whilst the panels were still connected was discussed.
Isolation of the 240v AC circuit to the inverter was accomplished by the action of a circuit breaker at the switchboard and had been mechanically locked off. The DC isolators situated next to the inverter were also isolated however were not mechanically locked off. There were no DC isolators situated on the roof at the solar panels.
The worker tasked the apprentice with removing the inverter and DC isolators. The worker was unable to separate the MC4 connectors at the panels and left the roof to acquire some pliers and the apprentice received an electric shock.
The worker failed to ensure that the apprentice was given appropriate supervision and instructions not to undertake any work where the apprentice could be exposed to an electrical risk.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a reprimand and a $300 penalty.
An electrical contractor failed to ensure that an apprentice was given appropriate supervision and instruction not to undertake any work, where the apprentice could be exposed to an electrical risk. The apprentice re‑energised the inverter while the electrical worker stepped away from the worksite to get some additional tools from the work van. As a result, the apprentice subsequently received an electric shock.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. The contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor and their QTPs must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The contractor was issued with a reprimand and a $1,000 penalty.
An electrical worker connected an electrical installation to an electricity source and failure to test correctly. The electrical worker did not maintain records or test results and the Committee identified the worker failed to demonstrate the competency standard required for electrical installation practices and no understanding of the importance of the MEN link. As a result, a missing MEN link was not identified and because of this a person or property was not electrically safe.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a caution.
An electrical contractor failed to implement safe systems of work and procedures where a MEN link was not installed. This failure could have exposed members of the public to the risk of electric shock. The Committee identified that the QTP did not adequately determine the electrical workers competency before sending the worker to this job.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. The contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor and their QTPs must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The contractor was issued with a severe reprimand. This was in addition to two infringement notices issued by the ESO totaling more than $4,000.
An electrical contractor failed to implement safe systems of work and procedures and there were insufficient testing procedures and lockout/tagout procedures. The company was contracted to de-commission lighting and cable in an existing building to prepare it for demolition. While there was a procedure implemented, it was not adequate, and an unterminated cable was not identified. As a result, an electrical worker received an electric shock and there was the potential for a more serious incident.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. The contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor and their QTPs must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The contractor was issued with a reprimand and a $1,000 penalty.
An electrical contractor failed to take precautions to prevent de-energised equipment from being inadvertently re-energised. The contractor was engaged to perform electrical work as part of the return to ‘cold shell’ of a commercial tenancy in readiness for the fit out of a new tenant. It was during the work associated with the tenancy main switch upgrade that an electrical worker received an electric shock and burns. The Committee identified that there was a failure of implementing safe systems of work and procedures and a lack of understanding of lockout/tagout and testing procedures.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. The contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor and their QTPs must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The contractor was issued with a severe reprimand and a $4,000 penalty.
An electrical worker failed to fully understand the licensing requirements for undertaking work for an electrical jointers licence. The electrical worker was tasked to complete work outside of the scope of their licence and as a result, a member of the public received an electric shock.
The worker was issued with a caution.
An electrical worker failed to ensure an electrical installation complied with the wiring rules and failed to identify the location of the main switchboard of the installation. Whilst replacing a two-phase overhead service, it was not tested. Because of failing to test and understand the correct testing procedures a person received an electric shock. The electrical worker found the main switchboard and the switchboard for the granny flat but incorrectly determined to correct one.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a reprimand and a $400 penalty.
An electrical worker failed to complete all mandatory tests and connected an electrical installation to an electricity source in a new build. If all mandatory tests been completed an unterminated cable would have been identified. As a result of this oversight, a painter received an electric shock.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a caution and a $400 penalty.
An electrical contractor failed to implement safe systems of work and procedures and there was a lack of auditing of employees work in the field to ensure procedures, legislation and Australian Standards were being met. As a result, a worker re-energised the power supplied without performing the required testing and a person received an electric shock from an unterminated live cable.
The Committee determined that the QTP did not adequately determine the workers competency before sending them to this job as the electrical worker did not have the adequate experience in dealing with large new builds.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. The contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor and their QTPs must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The contractor was issued with a reprimand and a $1,000 penalty.
An electrical worker failed to test before undertaking electrical work to ensure the emergency light fitting was isolated and safe to work on. The electrical worker received an electric shock whilst disconnecting the phase terminal from the fitting. Whilst the worker suffered only minor injuries, there was potential for a more serious incident to occur.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The licence holder was issued with a caution and a $300 penalty.
The committee’s actions were in addition to fines and notices already issued by the Electrical Safety Office.
A message from the Commissioner for Electrical Safety and Chair of the Electrical Licensing Committee, Keith McKenzie
Most hearings that the Electrical Licencing Committee presides over involve electrical testing, including:
- the lack of knowledge on how to test
- understanding of test required
- understanding of test results and recording of those results.
- failure to test at all.
Testing the installation includes:
- whether it is a new or existing installation
- addition or modification to a circuit
- installation of a new piece of equipment.
The testing is not only mandatory (s.23 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013) but will determine that the electrical work undertaken is electrically safe.
When the electrical licensing committee determines training is required as part of the disciplinary hearing, in the majority of cases, the committee will require the electrical licence holder to undertake the following unit of competency:
- UEEEL0002 - Apply currency of safe working practices and compliance verification of electrical installations.
Depending on the circumstances, require all QTP’s of the electrical contractor to undertake the additional units of competency:
- UEEEL0030 - Conduct compliance inspection of single phase LV electrical installations
- UEEEL0029 - Conduct compliance inspection of LV electrical installations with demand exceeding 100 A per phase.
Consider:
- Are you competent to undertake the required visual, inspection and testing requirements?
- Who determined that you are competent?
- When did you last undertake training?
- Was it formal training?
- How often do you undertake training?
- When you leave an installation, how confident are you that the electrical installation is safe?
- If you are a QTP, how do you know that all electrical license holders are competent in inspection and testing?
Correct inspection and testing will save lives and prevent destruction of property.
It will also save your electrical licence being cancelled, amended, or suspended.
It is extremely important you protect your licence, but more importantly that you protect the community.