Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Electrical Work) Regulation 2004 (NSW)

2004 No 573

New South Wales

Occupational Health and Safety

Amendment (Electrical Work)

Regulation 2004

under the

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000

Her Excellency the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, has made the following Regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000.

JOHN DELLA BOSCA, M.L.C.,

Minister for Commerce

Explanatory note
The object of this Regulation is to amend the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 to clarify and strengthen safety requirements for undertaking electrical work, or conducting tests, on electrical installations. In particular, this Regulation:

(a)	updates the definition of electrical installation to reflect changes in AS/NZS 3000:2000, Electrical installations (the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules), and
(b)	makes it clear that where work is being done on an electrical installation, only the part of the installation that is being worked on must be isolated from the electricity supply, rather than the whole installation, and
(c)	expands and clarifies the precautions that must be observed before work can be done on parts of an electrical installation that are energised (that is, are not isolated from the electricity supply), and
(d)	expands the precautions that must be observed when conducting tests on an electrical installation, and
(e)	updates a reference to a repealed Regulation.

This Regulation is made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000, including section 33 (the general regulation-making power) and section 34 (a)–(c).

Published in Gazette No 135 of 20 August 2004, page 6612	Page 1
2004 No 573	Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Electrical Work) Regulation
Clause 1	2004

Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Electrical

Work) Regulation 2004

under the

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000

1      Name of Regulation

This Regulation is the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment
(Electrical Work) Regulation 2004.

2 Amendment of Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 is amended as set out in Schedule 1.

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Amendments	Schedule 1
Schedule 1 Amendments

(Clause 2)

[1]      Clause 33 Definitions (and application of certain provisions)

Omit “32 volts alternating current or 115 volts direct current” from paragraph (d) of the definition of electrical installation in clause 33 (1).

Insert instead “50 volts alternating current or 120 volts ripple-free direct current”.

[2]      Clause 205 Definitions

Insert in alphabetical order:

safe work method statement means a statement that:

(a)	describes how work is to be carried out, and
(b)	identifies the work activities assessed as having safety risks, and
(c)	identifies the safety risks, and
(d)	describes the control measures that will be applied to the work activities,

and includes a description of the equipment used in the work, the standards or codes to be complied with, the qualifications of the personnel doing the work and the training required to do the work.

Note. See Chapter 2 for provisions relating to the identification, assessment and control of risks.

[3]      Clause 207 Electrical work on electrical installations—safety measures

Omit clause 207 (2)–(4). Insert instead:

(2)	An employer must ensure that such work is not carried out while the circuits and apparatus of the part of the installation that is being worked on are energised.
(3)	The safe system of work must include:
(a) checks to ensure that the circuits and apparatus of the part of the installation that is being worked on are not energised before work commences and remain that way until the work is completed, and

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(b) measures to eliminate or control the risk of the person carrying out the work inadvertently contacting any part of the installation that remains energised.

(4) Despite subclause (2), electrical work on an electrical installation may be carried out while the circuits and apparatus of the part of the installation that is being worked on are energised if it is necessary to do so in the interests of safety and the risk of harm would be greater if the circuits and apparatus were de-energised before work commenced. In these circumstances the employer must ensure that:

(a)	before the work is commenced, a written risk assessment has been completed in respect of the work in consultation with the persons proposing to do the work, and
(b)	the work is carried out in accordance with a safe work method statement for the work, and
(c)	the work has been authorised by the person in control of the premises, and
(d)	the persons doing the work are appropriately qualified, trained and instructed in safe work practices for the particular task, including the proper use of test equipment, tools, accessories and personal protective equipment, and
(e)	appropriate test equipment and tools and accessories are provided to the persons doing the work, are properly used and are well maintained, and
(f)	appropriate clothing and personal protective equipment for the work are provided to the persons doing the work and are properly worn and used, and
(g)	the isolation point of the relevant electrical supply has been clearly identified and is able to be reached and operated quickly without any need to negotiate or remove obstacles, and
(h)	the work area is clear of obstruction so as to enable entry and exit quickly and safely, and

(i)      unauthorised persons are prevented from entering the work area by signage or barriers, or both, and

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(j) the work is undertaken in the presence of a safety observer who is competent to perform the particular task that is to be carried out and is competent in electrical rescue and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

[4]      Clause 207 (5)

Omit “a safety plan required by the Electricity Supply (Safety Plans)
Regulation 1997”.

Insert instead “a plan required to be lodged under the Electricity Supply
(Safety and Network Management) Regulation 2002”.

[5]      Clause 208

Omit the clause. Insert instead:

208 Electrical testing on electrical installations—safety measures

(1) An employer must ensure that persons conducting tests for the integrity and operability of energised circuits and apparatus of an electrical installation at a place of work conduct the tests in a safe manner.

(2)	Without limiting the generality of subclause (1), the employer must ensure that:
(a) a safe system of work is used that includes:

(i)      a risk assessment in respect of the tests, and

(ii)      measures to eliminate or control the risk of the persons conducting the tests inadvertently contacting any part of the installation that is energised (including safe work practices to minimise the risk of inadvertent contact, if the risk cannot be eliminated), and

(b)	appropriate test equipment is provided and properly used by appropriately trained persons, and
(c)	appropriate personal protective equipment is provided and used by the persons conducting the tests, and

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(d) if necessary to minimise a risk identified by the risk assessment, the tests are conducted in the presence of a safety observer who is competent to assist the persons who are conducting the tests and who is competent in electrical rescue and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

Maximum penalty: Level 4.

BY AUTHORITY