Live electrical work bans backed
Support for a ban on live electrical work appears to be gathering momentum after Commerce Minister Michael Mischin joined unions and industry groups in offering in-principle support.
WA's electricity safety watchdog today released a discussion paper calling for a "prohibition" on live work following a spate of incidents in which electricians had been killed in recent years.
Mr Mischin, the Minister responsible for EnergySafety, said the proposal "seems like a good idea" although he stopped short of backing it outright.
"The idea of isolating circuits before working on them in houses and … in roof spaces seems like a good idea on the face of it but I'm not going to do anything until I get advice from EnergySafety and after the discussion paper has been considered by the industry," Mr Mischin said.
The comments came as the Electrical Trades Union strongly endorsed EnergySafety's push, saying a ban should have been implemented years ago.
The union's WA branch secretary, Les McLaughlan, said he was "100 per cent certain" it would prevent people from being killed or injured and it could it done at minimal cost or inconvenience.
Mr McLaughlan said under current arrangements electricians were often under pressure to work in live environments to minimise disruption to customers but a ban would put an end to this.
"Then they (customers) make other arrangements," he said.
"And that's the key to it - they can plan to do this work."
Garry Itzstein from the National Electrical and Communications Association WA, which represents electrical contractors, gave qualified support to the plan.
Mr Itzstein said while EnergySafety's proposal to ban live work "on" electrical installations and equipment was simple enough, forbidding work "near" live wires was more complicated.
Under current arrangements electrical contractors can freely work on live installations and appliances, although they are encouraged to isolate the relevant parts of them first.
However, EnergySafety noted the arrangements led some contractors to "cut corners" to save time and money and this heightened the risk of injury or death.
EnergySafety said a code it set up to allow industry members to regulate themselves had failed, with electricians being shocked or killed at the same rate since its inception.The dangers faced by electricians have been thrown into the spotlight after the deaths of two workers at the Galleria shopping centre and the electrocution of a Bunbury teenager who had been working in a home's roof space.
Jayden Zappelli, an 18-year-old trades assistant, was killed while working in the roof space of a Bunbury home in 2013.
In a separate incident two men were killed and two others were horrifically injured last month when the high voltage switch they were working on exploded at the Galleria in Morley.
"A comprehensive prohibition on working on live electrical conductors will level the playing field, thus removing the incentive to 'cut corners' and improve the overall safety performance of electrical workers," EnergySafety said.
The discussion paper is understood to have been sent in recent days to more than 100 industry players and observers, who will be asked to provide feedback.
