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Working live safely
If there is no reasonable alternative and work must be carried out ‘live’, then all of these requirements must be met:
- it is not practicable to perform the electrical work other than by live work because of one or more of the following:
- it is necessary in the interests of safety, for the work to be performed while the electrical equipment subject to electrical work is energised. For example: it may be necessary in the interests of road safety for a set of traffic lights to remain operating while electrical work is performed on the lights
- a supply of electricity is necessary for the proper performance of the electrical work
- there is no reasonable alternative to performing the electrical work by live work. For example: it may be necessary, to avoid widespread outages, to perform electrical work on the works of an electricity entity by live work
- the employer or self-employed person has prepared, in a document, a risk assessment of the live work
- the performance of the electrical work is in accordance with a safe system of work
- the employer or self-employed person authorises the performance of the live work only after consultation with the person in control of the electrical equipment subject to the electrical work
- the person who performs the live work has appropriate training for the performance of the live work
- testing equipment appropriate to the performance of the live work has been given to the person performing the electrical work. This testing equipment has also been properly maintained and the person performing the live work uses the testing equipment correctly in performing the work
- clothing and personal protective equipment appropriate to the performance of the live work has been given to the person performing the work and is used correctly by the person performing the work
- the isolation point of the electricity supply for the electrical equipment, subject to electrical work, has been clearly identified and (except for electric line work) is able to be reached quickly without the need to climb over or shift obstructions
- the area where the electrical work is performed is clear of obstructions to the extent necessary for easy access to and from the area
- there is a safety observer observing the performance of the electrical work, unless the work involves testing electrical equipment, and the risk assessment does not show there is a high risk to electrical safety in performing the testing of the electrical equipment
Read Section 12 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 (PDF, 1 MB) to obtain the complete regulatory requirements.
Points to remember!
Don’t wear these if you’re doing electrical work:
- neck chains
- rings
- watches
- bracelets
- earrings or body piercings
- metal-rimmed glasses
Think about what you need to wear and when. For example:
- insulated gloves
- fire-retardant or flame-resistant material that covers arms, legs and body
- non-conductive footwear
Read more about general information on personal protective equipment.
Use the right tools, instruments and equipment for the job. Always check that your tools are working properly and properly insulated. Section 6.4 of the Code of Practice details what tools, instruments and equipment should be used to work safely with electricity.
Last updated 22 July 2009
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