Electrical licensing disciplinary action
In July and August 2021, the Electrical Licensing Committee took disciplinary action against 15 licence holders:
An electrical worker failed to adequately supervise a first-year electrical apprentice while commissioning and testing a 240v streetlight supply.
The apprentice put his un-gloved hand in the cavity to terminate the neutral and inadvertently touched the live terminal of the circuit breaker, receiving a shock.
The electrical worker had minimal experience and competency as a supervisor, didn’t follow a safe system of work and failed to identify the risk he placed the apprentice in. He demonstrated the process of conducting a polarity and fault loop impedance test to the apprentice, who was then left to connect the neutral conductor in close proximity to exposed live parts.
The workers licence was suspended for six months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was also issued with a caution.
An electrical contractor failed to implement a safe system of work when a first-year electrical apprentice received an electric shock after contacting a live low voltage exposed part.
The committee determined that the contractor failed to have adequate audit systems in place to ensure the workers and the work performed was electrically safe and that management was allocating electrical work without adequately ensuring the people performing the work were trained, licensed and competent.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for 12 months and he must complete three approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor prior to the suspension being lifted. He was fined $3,000 and issued with a severe reprimand, both of which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
An electrical contractor was installing high voltage underground conductors and failed to ensure people were not able to come within an unsafe distance of an underground electric line.
While locating a previously installed conduit, an unlicensed person located a PVC hard cover to identify and protect cables underneath. He used a reciprocal saw to cut through the hard cover and pierced the insulation on an underground conductor, creating a short between the red and white phase conductors.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for 12 months and he must complete three approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor prior to the suspension being lifted. He was fined $3,500 and issued with a severe reprimand, both of which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
An electrical contractor failed to ensure a safe system of work while completing alterations and additions to an electrical installation of a unit renovation.
He de-energised the electrical installation to prewire the alterations, removed a light fitting and relocated the unterminated cable, failing to record the light fitting in the electrical plan. The lighting circuit was later restored, testing was not performed, and a tradesman got an electric shock.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months and he must complete two approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor prior to the suspension being lifted. He was fined $600 which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
An electrical worker energised a lighting circuit without conducting or confirming tests had been completed to ensure the circuit was safe to energise.
The exposed conductive frame of a spotlight was energised from the open circuit neutral conductor that was connected to the earthing conductor behind the wall switch plate. As a result, another electrical worker received a shock when he contacted the frame of the spotlight.
The workers licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was issued with a caution and fined $200.
An electrical worker failed to isolate, lock out and tag out, and test for dead while installing additional circuit breakers on a distribution board.
He installed a RCBO onto an energised chassis of the distribution board and failed to follow employer instructions, identify electrical risk and implement safe systems of work. As a result, he created an arc when his pliers shorted the chassis phase to phase.
His licence was amended to require him to work under general supervision until he complies with conditions imposed by the committee. His licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted.
He was also disqualified from being a QTP for the holder of an electrical contractor licence until he complies with conditions imposed by the committee. He was issued with a severe reprimand and a $400 fine, both of which will be listed on the licensing public search register for three years.
An electrical contractor failed to implement a safe system of work to ensure electrical work was not performed on energised electrical equipment. As a result, an electrical worker caused an arc flash while installing an RCBO onto the energised chassis of a distribution board.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months and he must complete two approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor prior to the suspension being lifted. He was issued with a caution and fined $1,000 which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
An electrical worker failed to ensure an electrical installation was safe and compliant while upgrading it. The worker, who was also the QTP, directed an apprentice to connect and energise submains.
The worker was aware that significant parts of the energised electrical installation did not comply with the Wiring Rules and advised that he intended on addressing the issues later. The electrical installation was not electrically safe as evidenced by multiple defects, posing an immediate electrical risk to people and property.
The worker’s licence was amended to require him to work under general supervision until he complies with conditions imposed by the committee. His licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted.
He was also disqualified from being a QTP for the holder of an electrical contractor licence for six months. He was issued with a severe reprimand and a $2,000 fine, both of which will be listed on the licensing public search register for three years.
An electrical contractor failed to implement a safe system of work and procedures during a large electrical upgrade at a school. The electrical work resulted in multiple defects, causing an immediate electrical risk to people and property.
A different contractor ensured the site was de-energised, undertook repairs, and tested the installation to ensure it was electrically safe.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months and he must complete two approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor prior to the suspension being lifted. He is also required to ensure all QTPs and QBPs complete competency units. He was issued with a severe reprimand and fined $4,000 both of which will be listed on the licensing public register for three years.
An electrical contractor was engaged to install, connect, and commission several large submains into a main switchboard at a school. An electrical worker created an arc when the driver bit attached to a battery drill contacted an energised part of the main switchboard steel frame while he was trying to move obsolete cables away from the hinged escutcheon. As a result of the arc flash, he temporary lost his vision and received burns.
The safe work method statement (SWMS) was not adequate for the work being performed and there was no evidence that employees had been trained in the use of the SWMS. There was also a failure to adequately supervise electrical workers on site.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months and he must complete two approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor and provide evidence of SWMS for live testing work prior to the suspension being lifted. He was issued with a $1,000 fine.
An electrical worker failed to conduct a risk assessment and implement control measures while performing electrical work at a service station. He was on the road investigating a PE cell (daylight switch) during faulting finding an issue with the flood lights not working.
He opened the PE call and received an electric shock, causing him to fall off the roof onto the ground. Investigations identified the active live conductor for the PE cell had become dislodged from its terminal while the worker was removing it from its base.
The workers licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was also issued with a caution.
An electrical contractor failed to ensure adequate SWMS and risk assessments were implemented when an employee received an electric shock and fell off a roof.
The worker undertaking the electrical work had not performed a risk assessment and the electrical contractor said they were not aware that a SWMS was required for the type of work being performed. The contractor failed to adequately supervise the work and demonstrate workers were competent to perform the work safely.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months and he must complete two approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor and ensure all QTP complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. The contractor was issued with a caution and fined $1,000.
An electrical worker failed to conduct mandatory testing and follow a safe system of work to ensure an electrical installation was safe before it was energised. As a result, the occupants of the home reported receiving electric shocks due to the transposed active and neutral conductors at the mains connection box.
The worker’s licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was issued with a caution and fined $300.
An electrical worker responsible for verifying an electrical installation following reports of occupants receiving electric shocks could not identify the fault and left the site. The occupants continued to receive shocks resulting in Ergon Energy identifying that the neutral and earth were live.
His licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units prior to the suspension being lifted. He was issued with a caution and fined $200.
An electrical contractor failed to implement safe systems of work and procedures and carry out audits to ensure correct test and isolation procedures were being followed.
Electrical workers and supervisors failed to correctly test and identify a reverse polarity which resulted in the home occupants receiving several electric shocks.
The contractor’s licence was suspended for six months and he must complete two approved electrical safety system audits from an independent auditor prior to the suspension being lifted. He was issued with a reprimand and a $3,000 fine, both of which will be listed on the licensing public search register.
The committee’s actions were in addition to fines and notices already issued by the Electrical Safety Office.