The Electrical Licensing Committee has disqualified an electrical worker from holding an electrical work or contractor licence for five years. He had advertised his services online to perform unlicensed electrical contracting work.
Audits of 16 properties found multiple breaches against AS/NZ3000 causing several properties to be electrically unsafe. Due to the serious nature of the offences, the committee determined the licence holder was negligent and a danger to the community if allowed to continue to work in the electrical industry.
His licence was cancelled immediately and he was fined $3,200. The disqualification also applies to the application of external equivalency provisions to any electrical work licence issued by another Australian state or territory, or New Zealand.
During November 2019, the Electrical Licensing Committee also held disciplinary hearings against six other licence holders:
- An electrical worker failed to demonstrate competency in electrical safety, electrical risk and working on electrical installations when he performed electrical work on a large grid connect solar system. The electrical work did not comply with the wiring rules or manufacturer's instructions and resulted in significant fire damage to a commercial property. The electrical worker's licence was suspended for three months and he must complete competency units before the suspension is lifted. He was also disqualified from being a qualified technical person for six months and fined $300.
- An electrical contractor failed to implement safe systems of work and test procedures resulting in non-compliant electrical work being conducted by a person not sufficiently competent in the task. The electrical contractor's licence was suspended for six months. He must complete two independent audits to ensure the business has adequate electrical safety systems and procedures in place to comply with all relevant acts and regulations. All qualified technical persons responsible for the business aspects of performing electrical work must complete the QTP competency units without recognition of prior learning. The contractor was fined $600.
- An electrical worker did not isolate power while conducting electrical work on a main switchboard. The work was not essential to the operation of the facility and arrangements should have been made to isolate. He failed to identify risks and implement safe systems of work and control measures while he was performing electrical work and as a consequence received a severe arc flash injury. His licence was suspended for three months and must now complete competency units before the suspension is lifted. He was also disqualified from being a qualified technical person for six months and must complete competency units before the suspension is lifted. He was fined $300.
- An electrical contractor failed to implement effective safe systems of work resulting in an electrical worker receiving severe arc flash burns. Property was also damaged.The contractor was issued 35 penalty points.
- An electrical worker performed electrical work with serious defects on the upgrade to a new switchboard on a domestic property with the potential to cause harm to people and property. Following the non-compliant work, the home owners received multiple tingles from the energised water pipes. The worker received a caution against his work licence and was fined $200.
- An electrical contractor failed to maintain auditing practices of employees to ensure procedures, legislation and Australian Standards were being met. Insufficient training of testing and isolation procedures resulted in electrical workers failing to complete all mandatory installation and test procedures. As a result, home owners received an electric shock and workers were exposed to electric shock. The contractor's licence was suspended for six months. The contractor is required to complete two independent audits to ensure adequate electrical safety systems and procedures are in place, the completion of competency units by all qualified technical persons without recognition of prior learning, and to provide verification of competency in electrical risk assessment, electrical isolation, lockout/tagout, testing for dead and reenergisation following a safe system of work. The contractor was fined $2,500.
The committee's actions were in addition to fines and notices already issued by the Electrical Safety Office.
