Managing Electrical Risks

Electricity kills silently. De-energise by default; energise only when no other reasonable alternative. RCD + test-and-tag + LOTO are the three controls regulators always check.

Quick Take

• Electrical work = licensed electrician only (state-issued).
• Construction sites must comply with AS/NZS 3012 (temporary supplies).
• Test and tag every 3 months for construction equipment.
• Portable RCDs: monthly push-button test, quarterly competent-person test.
• Energised work needs a written permit, two-person rule, arc-rated PPE, insulated tools.
• Electrical workers and safety observers need annual CPR currency.

1. Who's responsible

PCBU

• Electrical installation work performed by licensed/registered electrical workers only.
• Construction PCBUs must comply with AS/NZS 3012:2010 (Construction & demolition site electrical installations).
• Provide RCDs, test/tag programme, isolation procedures, training.

Officer (s.27)

• Verify systems exist (test/tag register, RCD log, training records).

Worker (s.28)

• Use as instructed; report damaged cables, missing tags, exposed conductors.

2. De-energisation principle — first rule

Work on electrical equipment must be de-energised unless one or more genuine exceptions apply.

Exceptions:

• Necessary for health/safety reasons (e.g. life-support).
• Equipment must be energised for the work itself (e.g. testing, fault-finding).
• Required to confirm de-energisation.
• No reasonable alternative exists.

Convenience or schedule pressure is not an exception.

Test for "dead" before you touch:

1. Test the tester on a known live source.
2. Test the target equipment.
3. Re-test the tester to confirm it's still working.
4. Assume all exposed conductors are live until proven dead.
5. Re-test if you leave the work area.

3. RCDs (residual current devices)

![[managing_electrical_risks_img001.jpg|520]] Figure 1 — Switchboard-mounted RCD. Fixed protection upstream of multiple circuits.

![[managing_electrical_risks_img002.jpg|520]] Figure 2 — Portable RCD on a power lead. Required where fixed RCDs aren't practicable, especially for tools used in hostile environments.

Required when equipment is supplied via socket outlet and:

• Used in hostile / higher-risk environments (wet, dusty, outdoor, vibration, corrosive, heat).
• Frequently moved or moved between job sites.
• Used on amusement devices.

Trip ratings

• Type II — ≤ 30 mA trip, ≤ 300 ms (general use).
• Type I — ≤ 10 mA trip, ≤ 30 ms (medical / direct patient contact).

Testing schedule (construction)

• New / on installation — full test by competent person.
• Monthly — operator pushes the trip-test button.
• Quarterly (3-monthly) — competent-person verification, recorded.
• Faulty RCDs — out of service immediately.

4. Test and tag — AS/NZS 3760

Environment	Cycle
Construction / demolition site	Every 3 months
Manufacturing, workshop, hire equipment	Every 6 months
Office / low-risk	Every 12 months (or per AS/NZS 3760)

Inspection checks — visual: cord damage, plug integrity, discoloration (heat/moisture), guards, cooling vents, ratings.

Electrical test — earth continuity + insulation resistance via approved tester.

Tag — durable, non-metallic, non-reusable; tester name, date, next test, outcome.

Records — tagger, date, asset ID, result, next due date — logbook or database.

5. Energised electrical work (when unavoidable)

When no reasonable alternative:

• Written risk assessment + permit by competent person, retained on site.
• Two-person rule — competent worker + safety observer (unless testing-only with no serious risk).
• Safety observer — trained in emergency rescue and resuscitation; assessed within 12 months.
• Arc-rated PPE — gloves, helmet/face shield, apron, non-conductive footwear matched to fault energy.
• Insulated tools — rated for voltage; inspected before use.
• Position & barriers — prevent inadvertent contact; restrict unauthorised access.
• First aid + electrical fire-fighting equipment accessible; CO₂ / dry-chem extinguisher, never water on energised gear.

6. Lockout-tagout (electrical isolation)

![[managing_electrical_risks_img003.jpg|520]] Figure 3 — Locking off a circuit breaker with a hasp + multiple personal locks. Each worker applies their own; supply can't be re-energised while any lock is in place.

![[managing_electrical_risks_img004.jpg|520]] Figure 4 — Danger tag: identifies who, what, when, why; never to be removed by anyone other than the worker who applied it (or under formal escalation if absent).

Sequence:

1. Consult workplace manager and notify affected persons.
2. Identify all supply sources (multiple feeds, generators, solar, UPS, standby).
3. Isolate — open and secure isolators; rack out / remove breakers where practicable.
4. Lock at the point of isolation; under control of the worker doing the task.
5. Tag — danger tag dated, signed, "supply must not be reconnected".
6. Test — verify de-energised.
7. Re-test if the worker leaves the area or work pauses.

For multi-person work: each person applies a personal lock; last off removes theirs.

Tags warn. Locks isolate. Tags alone are not isolation.

7. Working near energised parts (overhead, underground)

Overhead lines

• Risk-assessed before work; minimum safe approach distances per state/territory + standards.
• Eliminate (de-energise via supply authority) → physical isolation (insulated barriers / Tiger Tails) → exclusion / spotters → admin.
• No metallic / wire-reinforced ladders near live conductors. Wood or fibreglass only.
• Trained safety observer where work could intrude into approach distance.

Underground services — see [[excavation_work]]:

• Dial Before You Dig before any excavation.
• Pothole if location uncertain.
• Don't assume an unknown buried cable is dead.

8. Construction-site specific (AS/NZS 3012)

• Temporary supplies — proper protection and control; portable RCDs on socket outlets.
• Distribution boards — RCD-protected; weatherproofed; protected against site damage.
• Cables — supported off the ground where possible; protected from vehicle / plant damage; covered ramps where they cross traffic.
• Plant earthing — confirmed during install; tested periodically.
• Test and tag every 3 months (vs 6 / 12 elsewhere).
• SWMS required for HRCW work near energised installations (see [[general_construction_work]]).

9. Records & training

Records

• Risk assessments + permits for energised work — keep 28 days post-completion (2 yrs if notifiable incident).
• SWMS — for duration of work; accessible to all workers.
• Test/tag log — until next test, removal, or disposal.
• RCD log — monthly + quarterly tests.
• Training & licence records — sighted before mobilisation.

Training

• CPR / first aid annual for electrical workers and safety observers.
• Induction: safe systems, hazard reporting, emergency procedures.
• Work-specific: isolation procedures, tool / PPE use, energised-work protocols.
• Refresher periodic.

10. Common pitfalls / quick wins

Do

• "Test for dead before you touch" every time. The 3-step tester check has saved lives.
• Issue personal padlocks; one per worker; document the system.
• Dial Before You Dig before any excavation, even if you think you know the layout.
• Buy quality cable reels — heat / cord damage is the #1 fire / shock cause on site.
• Tag missed-test gear out immediately; don't keep using it "until the next round".

Don't

• Energise "for convenience" or to skip a short outage. Justify only by genuine necessity.
• Trust the panel voltmeter alone — verify with a hand-tester.
• Skip the safety observer because "it's just a quick check".
• Leave bare wires inside an open distribution board waiting for the sparky next week.
• Wear metallic watches/jewellery near live work.

11. Cross-references

• See also: [[managing_risks_of_plant]] (general LOTO / isolation principles), [[excavation_work]] (underground services), [[general_construction_work]] (HRCW + SWMS for energised work)
• Foundations: [[risk_management_process]]
• Glossary (RCD, LOTO, AS/NZS 3012): [[glossary_and_key_concepts]]

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Source: managing_electrical_risks.md (Safe Work Australia, model Code of Practice, CC-BY-NC 4.0). Last verified against SWA: 2026-04-27.