MEA attends inquest into Home Insulation Program deaths

An inquest has heard the federal government was warned by Master Electricians Australia (MEA) within a week of the first insulation-related death that there would be more fatalities if the Home Insulation Program (HIP) was not amended.

On 14 March 2013, MEA CEO Malcolm Richards spoke at the inquest into the electrocution of Matthew James Fuller, aged 25, Rueben Barnes, aged 16, and Mitchell Sweeney, aged 22.

MEA has always pushed for greater awareness and regulatory action surrounding electrical safety, to ensure its members can operate in a safe environment. When the federal government’s Energy Efficiency Home Package was introduced in 2009, MEA immediately expressed concerns about the inherent dangers associated with the two types of insulation covered under the HIP rebate scheme, namely, metal-based and woollen insulation. The incorrect installation of either of these products can lead to serious damage to lives and property.

From as early as May 2009, MEA began warning the government about the safety risks that were likely to accompany the surge in demand for roof insulation after the announcement of the government rebate.

In the months leading up to Matthew Fuller being electrocuted on 14 October 2009, MEA received an increasing number of complaints from members who were arriving to undertake work at houses that had recently had foil insulation installed and found the roof to be live.

At the inquest Richards spoke of how, after hearing feedback from members, he immediately wrote to Peter Garrett requesting an urgent meeting but before the letter could be sent, Matthew Fuller was killed.

“Mr Fuller’s death, more than five months after the risks of the program were highlighted to government, is a tragic example of what can happen when the dangers of electrical work are not taken seriously enough,” Richards said.

On 20 October 2009, Richards met with the Minister responsible for the program, Peter Garrett, one on one to discuss concerns raised about the program, including the poor training standards and use of metal-based insulation.

“I remember saying, if you don’t remove the rebate from foil-based products there will be more deaths in this program,” Richards told Brisbane Coroners Court.

At a subsequent meeting on 27 October 2009, Minister Garrett met with MEA and representatives from the insulation industry to seek advice on changes to the program to prevent further injuries and fatalities. On 1 November 2009, the federal government announced that the insulation rebate was to be withdrawn for foil products held in place with staples or other metal fasteners. Rueben Barnes was tragically electrocuted just eight days later on 18 November 2009, and Mitchell Sweeney was electrocuted three months later on 4 February 2010. At the recent inquest, Richards provided an insight into issues that were raised at the time and how  the electrocutions, which occurred while the workers were installing foil insulation under the Home Insulation Program, could have been avoided. He spoke about the known dangers associated with the HIP and the role that safety switches could have played in preventing the deaths.

When the rebate program was introduced, MEA were particularly concerned about the large number of new installers it attracted who, while registered with the government scheme, were not trained or experienced in dealing with the electrical safety issues associated with laying insulation such as pre-existing faults in wiring in the roof space and faulty installation of insulation foil, which is a conductor of electricity.

Representing its members and the electrical industry as a whole, MEA called on government to introduce improved training standards as a priority for installers to ensure they were competent in the correct installation techniques when working around electrical cables, and the appropriate procedure for undertaking an electrical risk assessment.

The inquest has been adjourned until 7 May 2013.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths of these young men serve as a tragic reminder that there is no excuse for complacency regarding electrical-related injuries and fatalities. The failed program demonstrates the need for absolute vigilance where electrical work is concerned.

In the recent submission to the coronial inquest, MEA made several recommendations, including the need for urgent reforms to safety switch laws throughout Australia to put an end to the needless deaths and injuries that could have been prevented by a safety switch.