Electrical Safety Office technical guides

The Electrical Safety Office (ESO) technical guides were developed to assist electrical contractors and workers comply with their electrical safety duties.

The ESO compliance and enforcement data indicates a level of non-compliance or understanding of the importance of these critical areas leading to enforcement action by the ESO and/or referral for a disciplinary proceeding.

The guides are technical reference material intended for the electrical industry.

Readers will gain an understanding of the legislative requirements when working on or near energised electrical equipment, importance of correct electrical installation testing, appropriate selection of personal protective equipment (PPE), how to identify electrical installation with alternate supplies and correct isolation and lockout procedures.

• Guide to fault currents
• Guide to testing low voltage electrical installations
• Guide to working on electrical installations with connections to alternate supplies
• Guide to isolation and lockout procedures
• Guide to safe working on or near energised electrical equipment
• Guide to service and submain polarity testing

Guide to fault currents

This guide applies when electrical industry workers are required to perform work on or near low voltage electrical equipment where fault currents require the following to be considered:

• the correct selection of electrical equipment based on prospective fault current
• the safety of persons working on or near energised electrical equipment where fault current may be a contributing factor to risk associated with the work.

Read the guide to fault currents (PDF, 1.92 MB)

Guide to testing low voltage electrical installations

This guide applies when electrical industry workers are required to perform work on or near low voltage electrical equipment where fault currents require the following to be considered:

• the correct selection of electrical equipment based on prospective fault current
• the safety of persons working on or near energised electrical equipment where fault current may be a contributing factor to risk associated with the work.

Read the guide to testing low voltage electrical installations (PDF, 3.07 MB)

Guide to working on electrical installations with connections to alternate supplies

This guideline applies when electrical industry workers are required to perform electrical work on low voltage electrical installations. The information contained in this guideline may assist employers and workers to implement appropriate measures when working on electrical installations with alternate supplies.

This guideline does not cover work on high voltage electrical equipment. Recommendations in this guideline relate to identification of alternate electrical supplies to assist in the adoption of applicable safe work processes including isolation. It should be noted that the installation of alternate supplies is rapidly expanding thus new and emerging technology may not be covered in this guideline.

Read the guide to working on electrical installations with connections to alternate supplies (PDF, 7.84 MB)

Guide to isolation and lockout procedures

This guideline applies when electrical industry workers are required to perform work on or near low voltage electrical equipment. The Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 requires that electrical equipment is de-energised prior to carrying out electrical work and steps are taken to ensure the electrical equipment cannot be inadvertently re-energised whilst the work is being performed. The processes outlined in this guide are to assist employers and workers implement appropriate measures to ensure that correct isolation and lockout procedures are undertaken.

Read the guide to isolation and lockout procedures (PDF, 1.02 MB)

Guide to safe working on or near energised electrical equipment

This guideline applies when electrical workers perform electrical work on or near the exposed parts of energised low voltage electrical equipment. Specific recommendations in this guideline relate to managing the risk of electrical arc flash hazards and shocks.

Read the guide to safe working on or near energised electrical equipment (PDF, 3.12 MB)

Guide to service and submain polarity testing

This guide applies when electrical industry workers are required to perform testing of low voltage electrical installations. The Electrical Safety Act 2002 requires that after electrical equipment or installation is installed, a person tests and examines it to ensure it is electrically safe.

The processes outlined in this guide are to assist employers and workers to implement appropriate measures to ensure that the electrical equipment or installation is electrically safe. This guide does not include testing of high voltage electrical equipment. Recommendations in this guide relate to the testing of an electrical supply to an electrical installation via a consumer main or submain.

Read the guide to service and submain polarity testing (PDF, 5.01 MB)