Plumbers audited for electrical safety

The Electrical Safety Office (ESO) is auditing plumbers who perform restricted electrical work as part of their business to ensure they are following electrical safety guidelines. Plumbers who perform electrical work under their QBCC trade contractor licence must hold an electrical contractor licence.

ESO audits all electrical contractors to ensure that electrical work is:

• only performed by appropriately licensed workers
• performed safely
• tested to ensure it is safe.
   

The audits also cover requirements for energised electrical work, isolation and lockout procedures, and documentation and record keeping requirements.

Compliance audits are a good opportunity to engage with an electrical safety inspector, who may identify failures to meet electrical safety duties. This will result in enforcement action, which could include statutory notices being issued. Plumbers must comply with these notices; inspectors will follow up to ensure compliance.

ESO shares its audit findings with the Master Plumbers Association of Queensland to provide feedback to the plumbing industry on emerging or common safety issues.

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