Electrical licensing disciplinary action
In October 2023, the Electrical Licensing Committee took disciplinary action against 10 licence holders:
- An electrical contractor and worker performed electrical work including the installation of a new main switchboard, extension of the existing consumer mains and completion of the electrical installation within a detached dwelling at a domestic property. The electrical worker failed to ensure the installation work was electrically safe and compliant with the wiring rules, creating an electrical risk when it was energised.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months. All QTP’s must complete mandatory training in competency units and the contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor. The contractor was issued with a severe reprimand and a $2000 penalty. The disciplinary action regarding the above severe reprimand and penalty will be included on the licensing public register and will remain on the register for three years.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months and the worker must complete mandatory training in competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The worker was issued with a severe reprimand and a $1000 penalty. The disciplinary action will be included on the licensing public register and will remain on the register for three years. - An electrical worker performed electrical work on a switchboard identifying the circuit protective devices that protected the sub-circuit cables originating at the switchboard. The electrical worker failed to identify and de-energise the correct circuit where the electrical work was to be carried out.
In addition, the electrical worker failed to ensure that before electrical work was performed on the electrical equipment that the equipment was tested to determine whether it was energised or not. As a result of this failure, the electrical worker received an electric shock while contacting an energised bare conductor.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete mandatory training in competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The worker was issued with a caution and a $200 penalty. - An electrical worker performed electrical work which included replacing multiple distribution switchboards. The electrical worker failed to conduct testing and verification to ensure the installation was electrically safe and compliant with the wiring rules.
As a result, a distribution switchboard was energised with an open circuit sub mains neutral. This resulted in damage to electrical equipment supplied from the distribution board and exposed people to electrical risk.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete mandatory training in competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The worker was issued with a caution and a $500 penalty. - An electrical contractor performed electrical work which included replacing multiple distribution switchboards. The electrical contractor failed to ensure the installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the wiring rules.
As a result, a distribution switchboard was energised with an open circuit sub mains neutral. This resulted in damage to electrical equipment supplied from the distribution board and exposed people to electrical risk. The contractor was issued with a severe reprimand and a $2500 penalty, in addition to receiving an infringement notice of $3600 from the Electrical Safety Office. - An electrical worker performed electrical work, which involved disconnecting the consumer mains neutral conductor, to confirm the polarity of the mains conductors. The electrical worker failed to test and verify the electrical installation was safe and compliant with the wiring rules.
As a result, the installation was energised with an open circuit in the neutral conductor and a resident received an electric shock when contacting an appliance.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months and the worker must complete mandatory training in competency units before the suspension is lifted. The worker was issued with a caution and a $100 penalty. This was in addition to receiving an infringement notice of $200 from the Electrical Safety Office. - An electrical worker responsible for supervising and managing workers, and operating and making decisions for a business, including allocating electrical work performed by workers, failed to take reasonable care that their acts or omissions did not adversely affect the electrical safety of other people. As a result, people including apprentices were not adequately supervised for the tasks being performed and were exposed to electrical risk.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker is required to complete mandatory training in competency units before the suspension is lifted. The worker was issued with a caution and a $500 penalty. - An electrical worker performed work that involved disconnecting electrical equipment. The electrical worker was supervising a worker on an electrical training permit. The electrical worker failed to isolate the electrical equipment and failed to ensure that before any electrical work was conducted on the equipment, it was tested to prove it was de-energised. As a result, a worker under supervision received an electric shock from an exposed energised part.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete mandatory training in competency units before the suspension is lifted. The worker was issued with a caution and a $200 penalty. This was in addition to receiving an infringement notice of $400 from the Electrical Safety Office. - An electrical worker who also holds the position of director and QTP of a business that performs electrical work failed to exercise due diligence to ensure the business complied with its duties under the Electrical Safety Act 2002.
As a result of this failure, people were not adequately supervised for the electrical work being performed and safe systems of work were not in place to ensure people were electrically safe.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and the worker must complete mandatory training in competency units before the suspension is lifted. The worker was issued with a severe reprimand and a $4000 penalty. The disciplinary action regarding the severe reprimand and the penalty will be included on the licensing public register and will remain there for three years. - While performing electrical work at multiple locations in Queensland, an electrical contractor:
- failed to test and verify electrical installation work was safe and compliant with the Wiring Rules. Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 section 71
- failed to ensure that before electrical work was carried out on electrical equipment, it was tested by a competent person to decide whether or not it was energised. Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 section 15 (1)
- failed to ensure that before electrical work was carried out on energised electrical equipment, it was permitted under one of the circumstances outlined in Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 section s18
- failed to ensure electrical work on energised equipment was completed by a competent person with the correct tools, testing equipment and personal protective equipment for that work, resulting in unsafe electrical work. Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 section 22
- failed to ensure electrical work was supervised by a competent person and the level of supervision complied with the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 section 279.
The breaches of the regulation constituted a breach of the Electrical Safety Act 2002 and the company was disqualified from holding an electrical contractor’s licence for ten years.