Electrical licensing disciplinary action
In December 2019 the Electrical Licensing Committee took disciplinary action against seven licence holders:
- An electrical worker received a shock and burns after he failed to test and isolate before an installation on a live circuit breaker. He also exposed an electrical apprentice with less than six months experience to energised equipment. His licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was also fined $800 which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
- An electrical work licence holder responsible for supervising electrical work, failed to adequately supervise an electrical worker and implement safe systems of work. The supervisor tasked an electrical worker and an apprentice with testing and energising a switchboard but failed to take precautions to prevent de-energised equipment being inadvertently re-energised. As a result, the worker received a shock and the apprentice was exposed to the risk of shock. The supervisor's licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was also fined $800 which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
- The qualified technical person (QTP) for an electrical contractor failed to adequately supervise electrical workers on-site and identify electrical hazards and risks. Failure to ensure safe systems of work and adequate testing procedures resulted in a worker conducting an electrical installation on energised equipment and receiving a shock and burns to his hands. The QTP's electrical work licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The QTP was also fined $400 which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
- An electrical contractor failed to implement and enforce appropriate safe systems of work and procedures and to verify the competency of workers. An electrical worker received a shock and burns and an apprentice was exposed to energised equipment. The contractor's licence was suspended, deferred for nine months to allow participation in the Safety Leadership at Work LEAD program. Employees will be required to complete a baseline safety culture survey, attend a Frontline Safety leadership course and participate in an evaluation survey and program closeout before the suspension is lifted. The LEAD program aims to create large-scale change in safety culture in the electrical industry.
- An electrical worker failed to demonstrate competency in electrical safety and electrical risk when connecting a current transformer meter to a source of electricity without circuit protection and testing to ensure it was electrically safe. When operating the main isolator, an internal short within the electrical meter occurred, resulting in a catastrophic failure of the meter. The worker received an arc flash and was treated for burns. His licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was also fined $300.
- An electrical worker failed to implement a safe work method, assess risks and test for dead before undertaking an electrical installation. He failed to ensure the electrical equipment was isolated and safe to work on. He was performing electrical work on a main switchboard as part of a solar PV system installation while it was energised. As a result, he received an arc flash and burns. His licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was also fined $400 which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
- An electrical contractor failed to implement safe systems of work, procedures and audit systems when an electrical worker did not demonstrate adequate testing knowledge and completed an electrical installation on energised equipment. As a result, the worker sustained an arc flash and was treated for burns. The contractor's licence was suspended for six months, with a requirement for all QTPs to complete competency units and for the contractor to provide two approved electrical safety systems audits from an independent auditor before the suspension is lifted.
The committee's actions were in addition to fines and notices already issued by the Electrical Safety Office.
Further information
Find more information,
- for the community at electricalsafety.qld.gov.au
- for electrical workers at WorkSafe.qld.gov.au.