Electrically safe homes, workplaces and other environments
Electrical Safety Services
What we do
Key outcome
Priorities for 2006-07
Key priorities and achievements
Policy leadership
Service delivery
This output develops and implements legislative, compliance and enforcement strategies and activities to improve electrical safety in Queensland. Client groups include employers, workers, self-employed people, electricity entities, manufacturers, designers, suppliers and importers of electrical equipment and the community.
Electrical Safety Services
The output develops and implements legislative, compliance and enforcement strategies and activities to improve electrical safety in Queensland. Client groups include employers, workers, self-employed people, electricity entities, manufacturers, designers, suppliers and importers of electrical equipment and the community.
Electrical Safety Office
What we do
- development of the legislative framework, subordinate legislation and standards for electrical safety
- inspection, advisory and enforcement activities to promote compliance with electrical safety laws and standards
- information, education and training activities to assist industry, employees and the community reduce the risk of injury, fire and explosion and improve electrical safety
- strategic policy advice to the Minister on electrical safety matters
- advice to statutory bodies including the Electrical Safety Board, the Electrical Safety Education Committee, the Electrical Licensing Committee and the Electrical Equipment Committee
- management of registration, approval and accreditation systems required under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (PDF, 788 KB).
Key outcome
Queensland's rate of electrical fatalities per million people continues to fall - from 3.58 fatalities per million at June 2001 to 0.88 at June 2006 (five year moving average). This is substantially below the national five year moving average of 1.9 fatalities per million for the same period.
Electrical fatalities
Priorities for 2006-07
- Continue implementation of the Electrical Safety Plan for Queensland 2003-08.
- Implement evidence-based electrical safety compliance programs.
- Participate in the Council of Australian Government's review on the mutual recognition of electrical licensing.
- Manage electrical equipment safety through the equipment approval system.
- Continue to place a strong emphasis on information and education.
- Respond to Queensland's electricity distribution networks capital expansion and system upgrades with proactive audits focused on high risk areas.
Key priorities and achievements
What we said we would do |
Achievements |
|---|---|
Revise and implement the Electrical Safety Board's five-year strategic plan, the Electrical Safety Plan for Queensland 2003-08. |
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Promote the use and maintenance of safety switches in Queensland homes and workplaces to reduce electricity-related deaths, injuries and property damage. |
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Implement an evidence-based compliance and enforcement campaign to improve electrical safety. |
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Engage with stakeholders to improve policy development and service delivery. |
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Influence the national agenda for electrical safety with a particular focus on improving regulatory consistency and harmony. |
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Policy leadership
Strategies
- develop policy frameworks to address social and economic change and achieve quality workplaces
- develop, support and review strategic and intervention frameworks to achieve effective outcomes.
During 2005-06, the Electrical Safety Office continued to focus on the electrical safety priorities and strategies outlined in the Electrical Safety Plan for Queensland 2003 - 2008.
The Electrical Safety Regulation was amended from 1 October 2005 to clarify exclusion zone provisions, offences relating to untested equipment, provisions for emergency isolation of electric lines and updating fees relating to electrical equipment approval. Four new on-the-spot fines for offences under electrical safety legislation relating to requirements for testing electrical equipment were introduced.
A further amendment to the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002, effective from 1 April 2006, requires that all plug-in electrical equipment sold in Queensland has insulated pin plugs to provide additional protection against electric shock.
On 1 March 2006, a new Code of Practice for Electrical Equipment in Rural Industry came into effect. The new code, developed after extensive consultation with industry, will help to protect farm owners and workers from injury from electrical equipment. The code is the recommended means of complying with obligations under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 and provides for a simplified process for assessing risk and ensuring safety control measures are followed.
The Electrical Safety Plan for Queensland 2003-08 identifies safety switches as a key means of controlling electrical risk in dwellings. Safety switches have been mandatory in all new domestic premises since 1992 and within three months from the purchase of a domestic residence since September 2002. Following an amendment to the Electrical Safety Act 2002, from 1 March 2006 owners of domestic rental accommodation are required to install safety switches when a new lease commences.
A review of requirements for exclusion zones for work around overhead electrical lines was undertaken and resulted in a discussion paper for industry stakeholders. Feedback from stakeholders is being assessed to determine the most appropriate actions to improve electrical safety in the community.
In November 2005, the Department of Industrial Relations, in partnership with the Department of Energy, assumed the role of the Coordinating Chair of the Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council (ERAC) for a two-year term. The department will provide secretariat services to support ERAC to liaise between the technical and safety electrical regulatory authorities of eight Australian states/territories and New Zealand.
Service delivery
Strategies
- use evidence-based interventions to target priority industries/areas
- inform and education people in workplaces, and the wider community, about electrical safety
- engage stakeholders to improve delivery of services.
Action
In line with the Electrical Safety Plan for Queensland 2003-08 and the department's Strategic Plan, this output has continued to deliver compliance programs targeted at priority industries and areas. The electrical safety enforcement framework was revised and the compliance program was expanded beyond the traditional focus on contractors. In response to substantial replacement and extension work to Queensland's electricity networks, the Electrical Safety Office has introduced network-specific auditing programs to ensure worker and public safety.
The clean-up after Cyclone Larry generated a wide range of electrical safety risks, particularly in infrastructure repairs, domestic repairs, damage to electrical equipment and extensive use of generators. The department responded quickly with additional inspectors and educational fact sheets with an emphasis on advice to ensure safety of electrical workers, other workers and householders.
To help electrical contractors check their own systems for compliance with electrical safety obligations under the Electrical Safety Act 2002, a self-auditing package has been drafted. Stakeholder feedback will be used to refine and finalise the package.
During 2005-06, electrical safety audits conducted under the safety compliance program included: repairers of electrical equipment; electrical lighting products that are offered for sale from retail outlets; and audits of electricity entities. The electricity entity audits related to vegetation clearance from powerlines, high voltage and low voltage safe work practices and asset management. Where non-compliance was evident, appropriate enforcement action was taken which included the issuing of notices.
Inspectors conducted more than 2,800 investigations and issued more than 1,655 notices (including notices for electrical safety protection, improvement, unsafe electrical equipment and infringement notices).
Electrical safety investigations conducted
Since 2002, the purchaser of a domestic residence must install a safety switch within three months of the property transfer if a switch is not already in place. During 2005-06, more than 520 domestic residence audits were conducted. This included a safety switch blitz which found that around 92% complied with that requirement. In the cases of non-compliance, appropriate notices were issued to the new home owners requiring them to have a safety switch installed.
For 2005-06, the Electrical Licensing Committee conducted five disciplinary hearings to determine whether grounds existed to take disciplinary action against licensed electrical workers or electrical contractors. This year, 31 successful prosecutions were finalised in response to more than 90 charges under the Electrical Safety Act 2002.
The output provided technical support to Queensland Fire and Rescue Services, Department of Emergency Services and Queensland Police Service for 66 fire scene investigations where an electrical cause was suspected. On behalf of these agencies, the Electrical Safety Office also examined electrical equipment suspected as being the source of ignition.
Strong demand for electrical equipment approvals has continued. The output is exploring options for developing an integrated database for equipment approvals with other electricity regulators in Australia. Such a database will provide greater consistency between jurisdictions and a more effective and responsive delivery of services.
The output has undertaken a wide range of communication activities to promote safety switches and other aspects of electrical safety. This includes extensive material about electrical safety on the Department of Industrial Relations website, advertising and editorial coverage in mass media and trade press and presentations to industry participants.
In partnership with Energex and Ergon Energy, the output introduced an initiative to collect information about the extent of safety switch coverage in the community. An initial data-gathering stage has been completed. In the longer-term this information will help the output evaluate safety switch policy and plan future initiatives.
In the year ahead
- A mid term review report on the Electrical Safety Plan for Queensland 2003-08, that outlines achievements since the Plan was introduced, will be undertaken.
- Codes of Practice for electrical safety will be reviewed in consultation with stakeholders to ensure their relevance and currency.
- The ESO will implement an evidence-based compliance program with proactive and reactive elements. The proactive program will focus on electrical safety issues/risks in the community with particular emphasis on electrical contractors, domestic safety switches and audits of electricity entities. The reactive program will focus on investigation in serious electrical incidents and complaints.
- The ESO will participate in the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) General Electricians Action Group. COAG has agreed that governments will work with employers and unions to put in place more effective mutual recognition arrangements across states and territories for electricians and other skills-shortage trades.
- Queensland's electricity distribution network will undergo extensive replacement and extension in the next few years. This activity will increase electrical safety risks. ESO will undertake comprehensive audits of distribution entities (focusing on high voltage switching, low voltage connections and vegetation management) to ensure safety management systems and procedures are being implemented.
- ESO will continue its strong emphasis on improving electrical safety at home and in the workplace through information and education strategies. Key themes in 2006-07 will be a continuation of the focus on safety switches (installation and testing) and "Don't DIY electrical work".
Last updated June 4, 2009
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