FEATURE
DOWN
THE
RETROFIT
TOOLS ISSUE
¢ WHAT ARTICLES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? LET US KNOW: [email protected]
SURPRISE,
SURPRISE
RETROFITTING PRODUCTS INTO A HOME? CHANCES
ARE YOU’LL BE INHERITING SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK.
HERE’S HOW TO DEAL SAFELY AND SMARTLY WITH THE
GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.
smooth-running home improvement
job is rarer than a straight-talking
pollie. You should expect the
unexpected and arm yourself with the
knowledge to deal with any nasty – or
expensive – surprises that arise.
One thing is guaranteed though. However
big, small or tricky the job, you’ll be inheriting
someone else’s handiwork.
A
22 GEMCELL.COM.AU APR – MAY 2019
IT MAKES AN ASS…
First things first; you can’t assume the person
before you knew what they were doing. Botch
jobs and DIY attempts are rife in old houses,
which can make reno work dangerous.
“Never assume that work has been done to a
certain standard,” says Electrical Trades Union
National Apprenticeship Officer Mark Burgess.
Investigate old wiring properly and safely
before starting any work. “Cutting corners can
be fatal,” says Burgess. “A 19-year old apprentice
electrician was killed while working on a home
in Melbourne in January because he was
working live. Electrical work and electricity can
kill you if you don’t do your due diligence.”
If you’re working on a domestic job, you’ll
need to swot up on the new wiring rules that
came in to effect last year.
“If you’re an electrician that travels mine
sites doing shutdowns on conveyor belts, and
you’re doing some renovations at home or for a
friend, then you need to refamiliarise yourself
with some aspects of the wiring rules, such as
wet areas or circuit protection,” says Burgess.
“It’s imperative that licensed electricians are up
to speed on the changes to ensure a safe site.”
THE BAD NEWS IS…
Budgets can often be tight, so it’s important
you communicate clearly with your clients
about the what and the why.
“Be upfront,” says Burgess. “Tell them there
are safety standards that must be followed to
protect the lives of occupants, yourself and
your fellow workers.
“If you give a fair quote and another
electrician undercuts you, you have to wonder
what corners and safety standards they’ve cut
to save costs.”
If the homeowner or builder don’t take
your advice about how to sort their electrics
safely, there’s just one option.
“Walk away,” says Burgess. “It’s that simple.
Don’t risk your life, your reputation or your
electrical licence because a homeowner or
builder wants to cut corners or costs by not
doing things by the book.”
COVER ME
As with any electrical work, you’ll need enough
public liability insurance to cover you, explains
Director at Trade Risk, Shane Moore.
“An electrician undertaking renovation work
needs the same amount of public liability as
one working on new builds,” he says.
“The minimum cover available is $5 million,
although many electricians choose to take
$10 million.”
Electrical Trades Union’s Burgess points out:
“If you start working on someone else’s work
and make alterations, it becomes your work.
That means it’s up to you to make sure the
work meets all standards and regulations.”
Moore adds: “You won’t automatically
become responsible for all of the existing work
just because you have done additional work. In
the event of a claim, the insurer’s investigations
will determine how much of the claim was due
to your actions, and how much may have been
due to the work previously undertaken.”
If you’re contracting to a builder and there’s
a claim, it’s likely you’ll both be dragged in to
the action. “The legal representatives of both
insurers and the claimant will get together to
determine where the responsibility sits,” says
Moore.
“Often the responsibility can be split, so it
might be found that the builder was 60 per cent
responsible, and you as the electrical contractor
were 40 per cent responsible. In that case each
insurer will pay out their share of the claim.”
Remember the builder’s insurance won’t
cover you. Each party must have their own
suitable public liability insurance in place. If
you don’t, you risk financial ruin.
HISTORICAL HORRORS
Homes built in or before the 60s are
likely to experience circuit breakers
tripping and fuses blowing.
Old power points that are loose on
walls can hide issues, and even
explode when they’re removed.
Houses built before 1977 are
unlikely to have earth rods; no RCD
makes work more dangerous.
If a house was built more than 40
years ago, it’s likely to have cables
If you start
working on
someone else’s
work and make
alterations, it
becomes your
work. That means
it’s up to you to
make sure the
work meets all
standards and
regulations.
insulated by rubber or, worse still,
rubber-insulated wiring covered in
cotton or cloth, contained in a split
metal conduit. Old rubber can
crumble away and rodents can eat
through cloth cable leaving exposed
parts; all hazardous for electricians
working on them.
Even worse? Often wiring this old
isn’t earthed.
Do your research first, to stay safe.
ASBESTOS AWARE
Older homes might be a real estate
agent’s dream, but they can be
hazardous for those working on
them. One in three Australian
homes contains asbestos,
particularly those built in the
1960s and 70s. Installing cables in
walls and ceilings can disturb
asbestos fibres. Also look out for asbestos
around old fans and on power boards.
“Residential and domestic settings don’t have
an asbestos register, so electricians should
ensure they have appropriate training to identify
asbestos,” says a Safe Work Australia
spokesperson. “Visit the Model Code of Practice
at safeworkaustralia.gov.au.”
APR – MAY 2019 GEMCELL.COM.AU
23