Australians were alarmed by the deaths of three young electricians during the Federal government’s failed home insulation scheme. The deaths and the coroner’s findings of poor planning and inadequate safeguards has brought electrical safety into the spotlight.
Even though none of the incidents occurred as a result of work by Northern Beaches electricians, here at Everest electrical we believe that electrical safety is an issue for every Australian. In the last decade there have been 321 deaths from electrocution in Australia. The electrical industry is an inherently risky business and electrical safety is essential for the protection of home owners and electricians alike.
A new national licensing scheme for electricians has been proposed, but it has not been received well by the industry.
The Industry Response
Electricians and industry bodies are right to expect easier access to a national licensing scheme of the highest standards, rather than the cumbersome state and territory based system. The main concern of the electrical industry, however, is the potential for it, as a whole, to be less safe under the proposed new national standards.
It is claimed by industry bodies that the standards for electrical safety have been watered down in the proposed national licensing scheme. The specific area of most concern is the area that cost young electricians their lives in the home insulation scheme: ceiling spaces and electrical fittings.
There have been claims by Master Electricians Australia and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) that the new scheme would not only cut professional standards but will risk further electrical fatalities.
Electrical Licensing As It Is Now
The current system for licensing electricians is state and territory based, with electricians needing to be licensed separately in each state or territory in which they intend to work. The codes in each jurisdiction can be markedly different in classification, training requirements, periods and structures.
The industry is concerned that the new national standards propose to adopt the least stringent of the state and territory based requirements as the standard – rather than the safest.
There is already a mutual recognition system meaning a licensed electrician can do work of the same scope for which they are licensed in a different state, if an application is lodged and approved. This places a burden of cost on electricians, the effects of which have been felt when electricians have wanted to travel interstate after disasters to help in rebuilding and relief efforts.
Proposed National Licensing Scheme
The proposed national licensing scheme is being developed for sound reasons. It seeks to reduce the regulatory burden of multiple licenses and the significant expense such a system poses to electricians and companies. It would therefore reduce the cost incurred with multiple licenses.
A national scheme should also offer the security of standardised eligibility requirements and frameworks. It is the proposed standards though that are sending shockwaves through the industry and wider community.
An Issue of Electrical Safety
It has been suggested that the model proposed is to adopt the standards of the lowest common denominator, rather than offering more stringent licensing across the board. Concerns have also been expressed that untrained, unlicensed workers will be permitted under the proposed national scheme to undertake inherently dangerous work on electricity infrastructure and installations.
The Decision Regulation Impact Statement that has been issued by the government is thought to undermine existing protections that ensure workers are appropriately trained and skilled. It is the subject of appropriate training and skills that is of the greatest concern to the ETU.
The ETU has joined with National Electrical and Communications Association, Master Electricians Association Australia, Energy Networks Association and industry skills council to formulate an industry-wide response to the proposed changes. Changes that the industry see as a backward step for electrical safety.