Man fined $16,000 for unlicensed electrical work

An unlicensed electrician has been fined $16,000 for using Facebook to advertise an air-conditioning installation business over the summer of 2018–19. Between November 2018 and January 2019, the defendant installed air-conditioning units at two residential properties in Regents Park and Victoria Point. The defendant was charged with five charges under the Electrical Safety Act 2002, including one charge of unlicensed electrical contracting, two charges of unlicensed electrical work and two charges for failing to ensure that the electrical installation complied with the wiring rules.

The defendant had never held an electrical contractor licence authorising him to conduct a business, nor an electrical work licence authorising him to perform electrical work in Queensland. Electrical Safety Office inspectors investigated the worker’s installations and the work performed. The inspectors found that the defendant was unlicensed to perform the electrical work and that the work performed fell short of the standard required by the wiring rules.

The defendant was previously visited by the Electrical Safety Office in August 2016 and was fined $10,000 in relation to electrical work performed in 2014, and in early November 2018 the defendant was issued with an improvement notice. Magistrate Nolan referenced the previous improvement notice issued to the defendant and observed that, within days of being issued the improvement notice, the defendant resumed performing electrical work and contracting from 17 November. His Honour also acknowledged that the requirements in the Electrical Safety legislation were about preventing electrical risks in places where people live and work.

Donna Heelan, Head of the Electrical Safety Office, said the inspectors found that the installations did not comply with the Australian Standard 3000 – Electrical Installations (the wiring rules).

“The failures included a failure to ensure cables and conductors were free from undue mechanical stress, a failure to ensure conductors were adequately terminated, and a failure to ensure openings on isolation switches were properly glued or sealed to prevent the entry of water. Carrying out unlicensed electrical work is life-threatening. Members of the public should be rightfully be protected by our electrical safety laws,” said Heelan.

The defendant was fined $16,000 and ordered to pay costs of $1099.70. A conviction was also recorded.

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