Serious incident prompts call for focus on safety

A serious safety incident in the ACT has prompted Master Electricians Australia (MEA) to call on business owners and managers to ensure the highest levels of electrical safety on their sites.

MEA ACT/NSW state manager Jody McGann said a fourth-year electrical apprentice had suffered a serious electric shock while working at a Canberra building site.

The young woman was shocked by a live circuit that she believed had been switched off while working alone on a platform ladder.

“This is a reminder of the constant danger posed by electricity, particularly in the building and construction sectors,” McGann said.

“Workers should always be reminded that they need to be extremely careful around electrical installations, whether or not they are working with electricity.

“Mains power should always be disconnected when work is being done in close proximity to electrical fittings, and electrical work should only ever be done by a licensed tradesperson.

“Electricians should have active safety systems put in place to prevent such tragedies or unsafe electrical work, and risk assessments need to be conducted on every job.

McGann said the incident follows a series of workplace accidents and deaths in the area over the past year as well as an ACT government inquiry into safety practices within the construction industry.

“The ACT has the worst record for construction site safety in the nation with one in every 40 workers expected to sustain a serious injury on the job each year, with the territory’s rate of serious injury nearly double the national average,” she said.

“We need to take urgent measures now to employ more stringent safety measures before anyone further is unnecessarily injured or killed by a very easily avoidable electrical incident.”

For more information on electrical safety measures, visit www.masterelectricians.com.au or call 1300 889 198.