Electrical licensing disciplinary action
In February 2026, the Electrical Licensing Committee (ELC) took disciplinary action against three licence holders
- An electrical worker performed electrical work at a residential property which included replacing damaged conduits and fittings and carrying customer mains from the point of attachment (POA) to a metal enclosure on the steel pole as well as replacing damaged conduit carrying underground submains from the same metal enclosure to the shed.
The worker failed to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was tested to ensure it was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules under section 71 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013.
As a result of this failure, the submain supplying the shed was connected with a reverse polarity. A technician was engaged by the property owner to investigate a separate matter relating to the tripping of a bore pump. The technician received an electric shock when simultaneously contacting the pump and an adjacent metal enclosure.
The ELC decided to include conditions on the electrical work licence, effective immediately. The worker was instructed to:
- complete training in competency units
- complete training in mentoring an apprentice or trainee, within three months.
The worker was issued with a caution and a $1,500 penalty.
- The electrical work involved replacing the damaged conduits and fittings as well as carrying customer mains from the POA to a metal enclosure on the steel pole and replacing the damaged conduit carrying underground submains from the same metal enclosure to the shed.
The contractor failed to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was tested to ensure it was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules under section 71 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013.
As a result of this failure, the submain supplying the shed was connected with a reverse polarity. A technician was engaged by the property owner to investigate a separate matter relating to the tripping of a bore pump. The technician received an electric shock when simultaneously contacting the pump and an adjacent metal enclosure.
The ELC decided to include conditions on the electrical contractor licence, effective immediately. This included:
- all qualified technical persons (QTPs) must complete mandatory training within three months,
- the contractor must complete an approved electrical safety system audit from an independent auditor within six months.
The contractor was issued with a caution and a $3,000 penalty. This is in addition to receiving a penalty of $400 issued by the Electrical Safety Office (ESO).
- An electrical worker performed electrical work at a private residence, which included the installation of wiring for a new tariff meter.
The worker failed to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was tested to ensure it was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules under section 71 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013.
As a result of this failure, the electrical installation was energised with single insulated meter wiring installed with exposed energised parts accessible without the use of a tool.
The ELC decided to include conditions on the electrical work licence, effective immediately. The worker was instructed to:
- complete training in competency units within three months
The worker was also issued with a caution and a $1,000 penalty.
In March 2026, the ELC took disciplinary action against nine licence holders
- An electrical worker performed electrical work at a residential property, which included the removal of the existing consumer mains and the installation of new consumer mains cabling between the POA and the recently upgraded switchboard.
- complete training in competency units, within three months.
The worker failed to ensure that the electrical installation was tested to ensure it was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules.
As a result of this failure, the consumer mains were connected and energised with a reverse polarity connection at the point of attachment. The occupant at the property received multiple electrical shocks when contacting metallic plumbing fittings at the property. Energex conducted testing and identified a reverse polarity connection at the POA.
The ELC decided to include conditions on the electrical work licence, effective immediately including:
The worker was issued with a reprimand and a $3,000 penalty. This was in addition to receiving infringement notices from the ESO totalling $600.
- An electrical worker carried out switchboard upgrade works at a residential property, including installing a new enclosure, extending wiring, and fitting new protective devices. As the responsible supervisor, they also removed the existing consumer mains and installed new consumer mains cabling from the POA to the upgraded switchboard.
- complete training in competency units,
- complete training in mentoring an apprentice, within one month.
The worker failed to have systems in place to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was tested to ensure it was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules.
As a result of this failure, the occupant at the residential property received multiple electrical shocks when contacting metallic plumbing fittings and reported this to Energex. Upon investigation, Energex identified a reverse polarity connection at the POA.
The ELC decided to include conditions on the electrical work licence, effective immediately. The worker was instructed to:
The worker was issued with a reprimand and a $4,000 penalty.
- An electrical contractor carried out electrical work at a residential property over two days. The electrical work included replacing a switchboard enclosure, extending the wiring systems to the new enclosure and installing new protective devices, removal of the existing consumer mains and the installation of new consumer mains cabling between the POA and the recently upgraded switchboard.
- the contractor must provide evidence from an independent and suitably credentialed third party auditor that adequate electrical safety systems and procedures are in place, within six months.
- all qualified technical persons (QTPs) are required to complete mandatory training in competency units within one month.
The contractor failed to have systems in place to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was tested to ensure it was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules.
The ELC decided to include conditions on the electrical contractor licence, effective immediately, including:
The contractor was issued with a reprimand and a $4,000 penalty. This was in addition to receiving Infringement notices from the ESO totalling $1,600.
- An electrical worker carried out staged electrical work at a residence, including disconnecting the existing consumer mains at the switchboard and point of attachment, installing new consumer mains, and energising the installation.
- disqualify the electrical worker from being a qualified technical person (QTP) for the holder of an electrical contractor licence for a period of five (5) years.
- The worker was issued with a reprimand and a $2,000 penalty.
The worker failed to ensure the affected parts of the installation were electrically safe and compliant with the Wiring Rules, resulting in the consumers mains being energised with the active and neutral transposed at the mains connection box. Despite reports of electric shocks from occupants, the worker’s fault‑finding failed to identify the hazard, and the installation was left energised in an unsafe state.
An occupant of the property later received an electric shock from a tap and notified Energex. Energex attended and found a transposed active and neutral at the point of attachment and no equipotential bonding to the metallic switchboard.
The ELC decided to suspend the electrical work licence, effective immediately. The worker was advised the suspension would be lifted upon completion of training in competency units. The ELC also decided to:
- An electrical contractor performed staged electrical work at a residence, including disconnecting the existing consumer mains at the switchboard and POA, installing new consumer mains, and energising the installation.
- cancel the electrical contractor licence, effective immediately.
- reprimand the contractor with a $4,000 penalty.
- This is in addition receiving an Infringement notice from the ESO for $400.
The contractor failed to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules, which resulted in the consumers mains being energised with the active and neutral transposed at the mains connection box. Despite reports of electric shocks from occupants, the worker’s fault‑finding failed to identify the hazard, and the installation was left energised in an unsafe state.
An occupant of the property later received an electric shock from a tap and notified Energex. Energex attended and found a transposed active and neutral at the POA and no equipotential bonding to the metallic switchboard.
The ELC decided to:
- An electrical worker completed extensive electrical work at two neighbouring properties over a period spanning seven months.
- disqualify the electrical worker from being a qualified technical person (QTP) for the holder of an electrical contractor licence for a period of five (5) years, as well as include conditions on the electrical work licence, effective immediately.
- instruct the worker to complete training in a competency unit and can only work under the general supervision of a licenced electrical mechanic until such time that the worker has satisfactorily completed the competency unit.
The worker failed to have systems in place to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules. Because of the performance of the work and the way in which it was carried out, persons were not electrically safe. The electrical installations at the properties were connected and energised with multiple defects of the Wirings Rules.
The ELC decided to:
The worker was issued with a reprimand and a $1,000 penalty.
- An electrical contractor completed extensive electrical work at two neighbouring properties over a period spanning 7 months.
The contractor failed to have systems in place to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules. Because of the performance of the work and the way in which it was carried out, persons were not electrically safe. The electrical installations at the properties were connected and energised with defects of the Wirings Rules.
The ELC decided to cancel the electrical contractor licence, effective immediately. The contractor was issued with a reprimand and a $1,000 penalty. This was in addition to receiving infringement notices from the ESO totalling $5,200.
- An electrical worker carried out electrical work at a manufactured home park, including transferring the submain conductors from a temporary construction switchboard to the permanent distribution board at the site.
The worker failed to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules. As a result of this failure, the submains supplying the distribution board were connected and energised with reverse polarity, with the neutral and active conductors transposed. Workers at the site received electric shocks when they touched metallic parts that had become energised through the property's metal structures.
The ELC decided to include conditions on the electrical work licence, effective immediately. The worker was instructed to complete training in competency units, within three months. The worker was issued with a reprimand and a $2,000 penalty.
- An electrical contractor preformed electrical work at a manufactured home park, including the completion of works to transition submains conductors from a temporary construction switchboard to the permanent distribution board at the site location.
The contractor failed to have systems in place to ensure that the electrical installation, to the extent it was affected by the electrical work, was electrically safe and compliant with the Wirings Rules. As a result of this failure, the submains supplying the distribution board were connected and energised with reverse polarity, with the neutral and active conductors transposed. Workers at the site received electric shocks when they touched metallic parts that had become energised through the property's metal structures.
The ELC decided to include conditions on the electrical contractor licence, effective immediately. The contractor must provide evidence from an independent and suitably credentialed third party auditor that adequate electrical safety systems and procedures are in place within six months. All qualified technical persons (QTPs) are required to complete mandatory training in competency units within three months. The contractor was issued with a reprimand and a $3,000 penalty.