Published Tuesday, 01 July, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
New electrical regulations take effect on 1 July
New on-the-spot fines for breaches of electrical safety legislation take effect from 1 July as part of a raft of changes affecting electrical workers throughout Queensland, Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said today.
The new on-the-spot fines will provide additional enforcement options to electrical safety inspectors to target:
• failure by an electrical work licence holder ($300) or an electrical contractor licence holder ($300 for an individual and $600 for a company) to comply with all conditions and restrictions of the licence
• failure to test to ensure an electrical installation is safe before connecting to a source of electricity ($300 for an individual and $600 for a company), and
• failure to perform a visual inspection of part of an electrical installation to ensure there are no serious defects ($300 for an individual and $600 for a company).
Mr Mickel said the amendments to the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 aimed to improve the administration of electrical safety in several areas, including licensing, performance of live work, approval of electrical equipment and testing of electrical installations. Other changes relate to:
• clarifying the meaning of a “qualified business person” and a “qualified technical person”
• requirements for performance of live work
• eligibility requirements for electrical licences
• approvals for electrical equipment manufactured overseas
• disconnection and reconnection of low voltage electrical installation
• updating fees to reflect CPI increases.
“Ultimately it’s all about keeping people safe, whether they work with electricity or are a consumer,” Mr Mickel said.
“Electricity can kill in an instant and even if you survive an electric shock there can be serious consequences, like burns, eye damage, partial loss of limb function and neurological disorders.
“Remember, the most important reason for making your workplace safe, is not at work at all. It’s to get you home to your family and loved ones every day.”
For full details of the changes visit www.deir.qld.gov.au or call the Electrical Safety Office on 1300 650 662.
Media contact: John Smith 3237 1944 or Nathan Moir 3235 4060.
The new on-the-spot fines will provide additional enforcement options to electrical safety inspectors to target:
• failure by an electrical work licence holder ($300) or an electrical contractor licence holder ($300 for an individual and $600 for a company) to comply with all conditions and restrictions of the licence
• failure to test to ensure an electrical installation is safe before connecting to a source of electricity ($300 for an individual and $600 for a company), and
• failure to perform a visual inspection of part of an electrical installation to ensure there are no serious defects ($300 for an individual and $600 for a company).
Mr Mickel said the amendments to the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 aimed to improve the administration of electrical safety in several areas, including licensing, performance of live work, approval of electrical equipment and testing of electrical installations. Other changes relate to:
• clarifying the meaning of a “qualified business person” and a “qualified technical person”
• requirements for performance of live work
• eligibility requirements for electrical licences
• approvals for electrical equipment manufactured overseas
• disconnection and reconnection of low voltage electrical installation
• updating fees to reflect CPI increases.
“Ultimately it’s all about keeping people safe, whether they work with electricity or are a consumer,” Mr Mickel said.
“Electricity can kill in an instant and even if you survive an electric shock there can be serious consequences, like burns, eye damage, partial loss of limb function and neurological disorders.
“Remember, the most important reason for making your workplace safe, is not at work at all. It’s to get you home to your family and loved ones every day.”
For full details of the changes visit www.deir.qld.gov.au or call the Electrical Safety Office on 1300 650 662.
Media contact: John Smith 3237 1944 or Nathan Moir 3235 4060.