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Office of Fair and Safe Work Queensland
Department of Justice and Attorney-General
Home > Electrical Safety > Working around electricity > Safety observer zones > Summary of safety observer requirements

Summary of safety observer requirements


Exclusion zone safety observer

Low voltage safety observer

High voltage safety observer

Should* be hazard and risk aware

Must be hazard and risk aware

Must be hazard and risk aware

Should* be assigned to no other duties, other than as safety observer to observe, warn and communicate

Must be assigned to no other duties, other than as safety observer to observe, warn and communicate

Must be assigned to no other duties, other than as safety observer to observe, warn and communicate

Should* not observe more than one crane or plant at a time

Should* not observe more than one crane or plant at a time

Not a requirement

Should* not be positioned in an elevating work platform basket

Should* not be positioned in an elevating work platform basket

Must maintain a suitable position to observe the work

Should* be appropriately skilled in observing, warning and communicating effectively; and who warns about:

  • approach to electrical apparatus
  • unsafe conditions

Must be appropriately skilled in observing, warning and communicating effectively; and who warns about:

  • approach to electrical apparatus
  • unsafe conditions

Must be appropriately skilled in observing, warning and communicating effectively; and who warns about:

  • potentially unsafe actions
  • lack of compliance with approved work documentation

Should* be able to stop the work being performed

Should* be able to stop the work being performed

Must be able to stop the work being performed

 

Must be competent to help with the electrical work. The safety observer does not need to hold an electrical work licence or do the work themselves. To ‘help’ is to assist or facilitate the work being performed

 Must be competent to perform the electrical work being performed. This means that the safety observer must be the holder of an electrical work licence

 

Must be competent in isolation techniques where appropriate

 Not a requirement

 

Must provide assistance in emergencies and be competent to:

  • rescue the person performing the work
  • provide resuscitation to the person performing the work (assessed in the last six months)

Must provide assistance in emergencies and be competent to:

  • rescue the person performing the work
  • provide resuscitation to the person performing the work (assessed in the last six months)

*A reference to ‘should’ is to something that is equivalent or better.

Note:

In regards to electrical work, the difference between the level of skills and qualifications required by a safety observer directly correlates with the differing level of risk involved in each type of electrical work. These requirements are consistent with the relevant Australian Standard AS 4836 Safe working on low-voltage electrical installations (non-Queensland Government link).

The level of skill and qualification of a safety observer may alter depending on the risks identified in the risk assessment for the work being performed.

Last updated June 2, 2009