Fatality a sad reminder to put safety first: MEA

The sad death of a worker in Western Australia is a timely reminder of the dangers of electrical work and the need to turn off the power before entering ceilings, said Master Electricians Australia (MEA).

Malcolm Richards, MEA’s CEO, said the incident carried lessons not only for those who work in the electrical industry, but also for home owners and other tradespeople.

“We’re seeing this all too often around Australia — electrical fatalities that could be prevented with safety consciousness and a degree of common sense,” Richards said.

“To home owners and tradespeople, the message is clear: turn off the power before you go into the ceiling space. No ifs and no buts — ceilings are dangerous and you are far safer being up there without the power turned on.

Richards said that his message to electricians and electrical contractors is: you need to put safety as your top priority and always turn off the power before you work in the ceiling.

“Yes, it might delay you on the job and it might be a nuisance to climb up and down from the ceiling in order to turn it on when you need to test your work,” said Richards.

“But it might also be the difference that means you go home to see your loved ones at the end of the day.

“Electrical business owners also need to be ever aware of their responsibilities to their staff and customers. Ensure you have a strong and proven safety system in place in your business.”

Richards added that if electricians get good advice and use the right safety system, it will protect their workers, cover against legal risk and be as sure as possible that everyone will go home safely at the end of the day.

As at 7 March, Safe Work Australia reported that 22 Australian workers had been killed at work in 2016. At least two of those fatalities were also from electrocution, reported earlier in the year.