Electrical workers must test before touching
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has issued a reminder to all electrical workers to test any electrical equipment before they touch it.
Every circuit or piece of electrical equipment should be treated as live until tested and proven otherwise.
When equipment is correctly tested before it is touched, it is possible to identify any faults that exist with the circuit connections of the installation or electrical equipment before work commences.
Incorrect labelling of circuit protection at the switchboard, interconnected circuits, multiple supply connections and faulty or bypassed circuit protection are a few of the problems that can be identified through testing.
A risk assessment must always be carried out before commencing any electrical work, to identify the steps required to complete the work safely. This includes identifying the electricity supply to the installation or electrical equipment that is about to be worked on has been correctly identified and proven to have been isolated.
The consequences of failing to complete a risk assessment successfully may be disastrous for the person completing the work. Workers should never assume the installation or equipment is isolated just because they thought they turned off the correct switch.
The Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 sets out the duty placed on a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) to ‘test before you touch’.
Electrician fined after apprentice receives electric shock
An electrical worker has been fined for failing to supervise an apprentice, after the apprentice...
Work health and safety data launched for electricians
Safe Work Australia has released WHS data for electricians to help illustrate the nature of risks...
Three high risk work licences suspended after safety breaches
Three workers have had their licences suspended for up to 12 months after a series of safety...
