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04 — Plant and Electrical

The two foundational engineering-hazard codes that touch most construction tasks. Plant (any machinery, equipment, tool) and electrical (every site has a temporary supply, power tools, and energised installations to work near). Both are dominated by isolation, lockout-tagout, licensing, and periodic testing.

Topics in this section​

TopicOne-liner
[[managing_risks_of_plant]]Lifecycle duties, registrable plant, guarding hierarchy, LOTO, HRWL classes, pre-start checks, plant register.
[[managing_electrical_risks]]De-energise by default; RCD + test-and-tag + LOTO; arc-rated PPE; AS/NZS 3012 for construction sites; CPR currency for electrical workers.

When to use this section​

  • Procuring or hiring plant — verify registration + operator HRWL.
  • Setting up site electrical: temporary supplies, distribution boards, RCDs.
  • Pre-start each shift — checklist content.
  • Investigating an isolation incident — was LOTO followed?
  • Test-and-tag scheduling.
  • §02 [[02 - Construction Work/_section_overview|Construction Work]] — HRCW SWMS for energised work / pressurised lines.
  • §03 [[03 - Falls and Heights/_section_overview|Falls & Heights]] — EWPs, scissor / boom lifts.
  • §05 Hot Work and Coatings — welder electrical safety.
  • §08 Manual Tasks/Noise/Confined Spaces — plant noise, hand-arm vibration, electrical isolation in confined spaces.
  • §01 [[01 - Foundations/_section_overview|Foundations]] — risk process, consultation.

Notes on currency​

  • Plant — source PDF May 2018; superseded by SWA June 2023 edition (varied 12 March 2026, vehicle roll-away guidance added). Re-verify before publishing externally.
  • Electrical — current SWA model edition.
  • From 1 July 2026: complying with these Codes (or equivalent / higher) becomes a positive duty.