Disciplinary action against three electrical workers

Queensland’s electrical safety regulator, the Electrical Safety Office, has taken disciplinary action against three electrical licence holders.

Under the Electrical Safety Act 2002, disciplinary action can be taken against electrical licence holders who perform unsafe, negligent or incompetent electrical work, including licence cancellation or suspension, fines or orders for faulty work to be corrected.

The Electrical Licensing Committee held disciplinary hearings against three workers:

• An electrical contractor working on a solar farm was fined $1000 after a 17-year-old labourer assisting with non-electrical work suffered an arc flash burn to his right hand. The labourer had incorrectly connected in series and short-circuited 40 PV panels. The contractor received a deferred licence suspension for six months until an independent audit can provide evidence of adequate electrical safety systems and procedures to ensure compliance with all regulations.
• After replacing the mains box on a residential property, an electrical contractor failed to test the electrical installation was safe and received an electric shock. The contractor was fined $300 and received a deferred licence suspension for six months until an independent audit can provide evidence of adequate electrical safety systems and procedures to ensure compliance with all regulations. Before the hearing, the electrical contractor completed training to improve their knowledge and skills in verifying compliance and functionality of low-voltage general electrical installations. The electrical contractor’s positive steps to improve their skills was taken into account by the committee.
• An electrical worker employed as a communications equipment installer connected a temporary lead to a distribution panel. In connecting the junction box the worker transposed the neutral and active wire. A few months later, a second-year apprentice working on-site received a shock when he came into contact with a live neutral inside a junction box. The electrical worker received a deferred licence suspension for six months until completion of two competency units at a registered training organisation. His licence was also amended to state “all electrical work done under this licence must be done under supervision” for six months.

The Electrical Licensing Committee’s actions are in addition to fines and notices already issued by the Electrical Safety Office Inspectors.

Image credit: ©Igor Stevanovic/Dollar Photo Club