Electrical licensing disciplinary action
In July 2024, the Electrical Licensing Committee took disciplinary action against seven licence holders:
Case 1: An electrical worker was involved in the installation of a generator for temporary supply to a business when the worker failed to complete mandatory testing to ensure the electrical installation complied with the wiring rules, resulting in significant property damage.
The worker connected a generator supply with the neutral conductor and an active phase conductor transposed at the generator terminations.
As a result of this failure, the worker, people and property were not electrically safe. The electrical installation was energised with a serious defect which resulted in damage to electrical equipment within the electrical installation.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and mandatory training in competency units must be completed prior to the suspension being lifted. The worker was issued with a caution and a $300 penalty, in addition to receiving an infringement notice from the Electrical Safety Office (ESO) totaling $200.
Case 2: An electrical worker was involved in the installation of a generator for temporary supply to a business when the worker failed to complete mandatory testing to ensure the electrical installation complied with the wiring rules, resulting in significant property damage.
The worker connected a generator supply with the neutral conductor and an active phase conductor transposed at the generator terminations. As a result of this failure by the worker, people and property were not electrically safe. The installation was energised with a serious defect which resulted in damage to electrical equipment within the installation.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months, and mandatory training in competency units must be completed prior to the suspension being lifted. The worker was issued with a caution and a $400 penalty, in addition to receiving an infringement notice from the ESO totaling $200.
Case 3: An electrical contractor was involved in the installation of a generator for temporary supply to a business. The contractor failed to ensure the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules under section 71 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013.
As a result of this failure, people or property at this location were not electrically safe. The generator mains were connected and energised with a reverse polarity connection. The main neutral conductor and an active phase conductor had been transposed at the generator terminals. This resulted in damage to the electrical equipment associated with the A/C systems.
The contractor’s licence was suspended, for six months. All Qualified Technical Persons (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 caution and a $1,500 penalty.
Case 4: An electrical worker performed electrical work that included the installation of a new service line from an existing entity supply pole to a new property pole.
The worker failed to competently identify risks and failed to include reasonably foreseeable hazards (specifically, identifying the voltage prior to completing work). As a result of this failure, an apprentice came in close contact with HV supply and there was the potential for a more serious incident.
The worker was issued with a caution and a $500 penalty.
Case 5: An electrical worker was involved in the installation of a new service line from an existing entity supply pole to a new property pole.
The worker failed to competently identify risks and include reasonably foreseeable hazards (specifically, identifying the voltage prior to completing work). The worker also failed to adequately supervise an electrical apprentice on-site.
As a result of these failures, an apprentice came in close contact with HV supply and there was the potential for a more serious incident. The worker was issued with a caution and a $700 penalty.
Case 6: An electrical contractor was involved in the installation of a new service line from an existing entity supply pole to a new property pole.
The contractor’s workers undertaking this task failed to competently identify risks and failed to include reasonably foreseeable hazards (specifically, identifying voltage prior to work).
The contractor failed to ensure safe systems of work and procedures and failure to provide supervision of an apprentice. As a result of this failure, an apprentice came into close contact with HV supply, with the potential for a more serious incident. The contractor was issued with a caution and a $2,500 penalty.
Case 7: An electrical worker was engaged in the rewiring of an electrical installation. The work included the installation of new lighting circuits, power circuits, upgrading the submains and upgrade/installation of a new distribution switchboard.
The worker failed to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules under the Electrical Safety Regulations 2013 section 71.
As a result of this failure, the installation was energised with multiple breaches of the Wiring Rules resulting in people at this address not being electrically safe.
The worker’s licence was amended to place a condition on the licence that the worker can only work under general supervision until such time that the worker has undertaken a competency assessment to be conducted by a registered training organisation (RTO) against the capstone assessment requirement of: UEEEL0039: - Design install and verify compliance and functionality of general electrical installations. (Electrotechnology Training Package).
The worker was disqualified from being a QTP for the holder of an electrical contractor licence for a period of ten years.
The worker was also issued with a caution and a $100 penalty, in addition to receiving an infringement notice from the ESO totalling $200.
Case 8: An electrical contractorwas engaged in therewiring of an electrical installation. The work included installation of new lighting circuits, power circuits, upgrading the submains and upgrade/installation of a new distribution switchboard.
The contractor failed to implement safe systems of work and ensure that the QTP had the required training and experience to undertake the role.
The contractor failed to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules.
As a result of these failures the electrical installation was energised with multiple breaches of the Wiring Rules resulting in people at this address not being electrically safe.
The contractor was disqualified from holding an electrical contractor licence for a period of 10 years and issued with a reprimand and a $2,500 penalty, in addition to receiving an infringement notice from the ESO totaling $500.