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• 1. Introduction
• 2. The Electrical Safety Act 2002
• 3. The Electrical Safety Regulation 2002
• 4. Risk management
• 5. Operating cranes and plant near overhead electric lines
  • 5.1 Scope
  • 5.2 Regulation requirement on exclusion zone for electric lines
  • 5.3 Exclusion zone
  • 5.4 Risk management process for a crane working near electric lines
  • 5.5 Working in the safety observer zone
• 6. Work near low voltage overhead electric lines
  • 6.1 Scope
  • 6.2 The no-touch and exclusion zones
  • 6.3 Hazard identification
  • 6.4 Risk assessment
  • 6.5 Examining the low voltage overhead line for visual defects
  • 6.6 Deciding on control measures
• 7. Clearing vegetation near overhead electric lines
• 8. Agricultural work near overhead electric lines
  • 8.1 Scope
  • 8.2 Regulation on exclusion zones
  • 8.3 Hazard identification
  • 8.4 Risk assessment
  • 8.5 Deciding on control measures
  • 8.6 Particular circumstances
• 9. Transportation of high loads near electric lines
  • 9.1 Scope
  • 9.2 Meaning of terms
  • 9.3 What is a high load?
  • 9.4 Legislative requirements
  • 9.5 Travel requirements
  • 9.6 Responsibilities
• 10. Repair of electrical equipment
• 11. Work near electrical hazards in buildings and near underground electrical cables
• Appendix A - Meaning of terms used in this code
• Appendix B - Exclusion zones in millimetres

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10. Repair of electrical equipment

10.1 Scope
10.2 Hazard identification
10.3 Risk assessment
10.4 Deciding on control measures

10.1 Scope

This section applies to work on any equipment, machinery, plant or appliance, where there is a risk of contact with exposed live electrical parts. Examples of such work include:

• Replacing a mechanical component of an electrical appliance, such as a water hose in an electric dishwasher where live electrical parts are exposed in the process; or
• Repairing, replacing, adjusting or calibrating hydraulic components of industrial machinery where access to the hydraulic component imposes risk of contact with exposed live parts of machinery.

The precautions outlined in this section may also be useful for electrical workers performing electrical work next to another exposed live part.

10.2 Hazard identification

Hazards include:

• electric shock, if live parts are touched;
• explosion. Eg. if a metal tool were dropped onto bus bars, causing a short circuit;
• exposed high-temperature parts causing burns to bare skin eg the normal surface temperature of some electric motors can cause burns if touched by bare skin;
• electrical fires, eg. allowing moisture to enter an electrical device. Resultant tracking and arcing could induce a fire.

10.3 Risk assessment

If a hazard involving electricity has been identified, an assessment should then be made to determine the associated risk of injury or property damage. This step will help to establish the risk level and decide on appropriate control measures.

The following factors may be taken into account in a risk assessment:

• Type of work being carried out and tools or equipment used;
• Proximity of the work to live parts;
• The types of tools and equipment used in the work, for example, the conductive nature of tools;
• Environmental conditions such as confined space or unfavourable weather when urgent repairs must be done;
• Assessing the need to repair equipment while it remains energised eg cleaning a low voltage switch room;
• Work that may impose additional hazards eg welding or grinding that could damage adjacent electrical lines or apparatus.

10.4 Deciding on control measures

This step involves deciding on control measures to get rid of the hazard or minimise the risk of injury or property damage that may result. If there is a regulation or ministerial notice on the subject, you must do what the regulation or notice says. If there is no specific regulation or ministerial notice on the subject, but control measures are covered in a code such as this, you should adopt the control measures detailed in the code or use another method of managing risk exposure.

The preferred hierarchy of control is:

1. Eliminate the hazard could mean electrically isolating the equipment or situation before starting work. When disconnecting equipment from supply by the plug or detachable connection, a method should be applied to ensure the equipment is not reconnected while the work is undertaken. For example, you could place the plug in a lockable enclosure. If equipment is connected to supply by fixed wiring, suitable means of isolation may include padlocking, or lockable enclosures, or warning notices. If an isolator has a warning notice attached as the means of preventing re-energisation, anyone who has access to the isolator should be trained in the safety requirements of circuit isolation and the workplace's warning notice system. The isolation process should be well documented so that everyone involved knows exactly what to do.
2. Substituting with a less hazardous material, process or equipment could mean, for example, using non-conductive or insulated tools to perform the work. Replacing instead of repairing the faulty part could mean shorter downtime and not having to work live. This would eliminate or lower the risk of exposure.
3. Redesign equipment or work process could involve designing and installing equipment that does not have live parts near the work area.
4. Isolate the hazard could mean erecting a physical barrier to prevent any contact with electrical hazards, directly or indirectly.
5. Use of appropriate personal protective equipment includes the use of insulating gloves. In deciding which control measure to adopt, you should start at the top of the hierarchy and work your way down.

Last updated July 16, 2009

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