Application of electrical safety laws

The Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld) applies to the following duty holders:

• people conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU)
• manufacturers, importers and suppliers of electrical equipment
• designers, installers and repairers of electrical equipment and electrical installations
• people in control of electrical equipment
• workers at places where electrical equipment is located
• officers of the PCBU
• other people at places where electrical equipment is located
• electricity entities
• PCBUs who conduct a recognised external certification scheme.

In situations where the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) and the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld) both apply, the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld) takes precedence.

Changes to electrical safety laws

In August 2017, some amendments to the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld) came into effect.

A summary of key changes include:

• the Electrical Licensing Committee (ELC) now have the ability to direct an electrical work licence holder to undergo a reassessment of a specified competency, or element of competency if there is concern with the level of competency of the licence holder
• the regulator may issue an Immediate Suspension Notice to an electrical work licence holder if they have a reasonable belief that a licence holder performs or supervises electrical work and that work may have:
  • caused the death of a person

  or

  • caused grievous bodily harm to a person

  or

  • caused imminent serious risk to the health or safety of a person.

Also consider...

• Learn about Queensland's Electrical Safety Regulation 2013.