Electricity Safety Week shines spotlight on electrical safety

Electricity Safety Week (4-8 September) will shine the spotlight firmly on electrical safety with a host of events tailored specifically for electrical contractors and workers.

Minister for Industrial Relations Grace Grace believes this is another great opportunity for those in the industry to make safety a priority.

“Since July 2016, there have been 23 serious electrical incidents and tragically five of these have been fatalities,” Ms Grace said. “Electricity Safety Week promotes the importance of electrical safety in Queensland, especially in the workplace.

“As the state regulator, it’s important we not only remind consumers about electrical safety, but also those who work directly in our industry – the electrical contractors and workers.

“The highlight of the week is the Electricity Safety Summit on 7 September, which explores how business leaders can drive change in their industry by inspiring others to push safety leadership at all points along their supply chain.

“This year, there are also 11 brekkies at wholesalers in places like Rockhampton, Gladstone, Mackay, Toowoomba, the Gold Coast and Brisbane.”

Ms Grace said when it came to electricity, the safety of workers, contractors and consumers should always come first.

“Recent changes to regulations mean we can now review the competency of those seeking a license or looking to renew one,” she said. “In the interests of protecting the safety of consumers, the regulator can also immediately suspend an electrical worker’s licence in specific and extremely serious circumstances.”

For more information, visit electricalsafety.qld.gov.au.

Media contact: Martin Philip 0427 919 548