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electrical
Your
questions
answered!
Autumn 2015
energysafe issue 39
Compiled by ESV’s Electricity Technical
Advisor, John Stolk
EnergySafe continues its regular series
featuring some of the questions that
ESV receives on a range of electricity
installation issues, some of them relating
to gas installations. Also provided are
the answers together with references
to the Acts, Standards, Regulations and
Clauses that apply to them.
Question
Answer
Standard
Clause
Is the installation of an electricity meter
within an embedded electricity network:
(a) Considered electrical installation work?
(b) eed to be installed by an A class
N
licensed electrical worker?
(c) o Certificates of Electrical Safety need
D
to be issued?
(a) es, the installation or replacement of metering within an
Y
embedded electricity network is electrical installation work.
(b) es, the person installing the metering is required to be
Y
a licensed electrician.
(c) es, all electrical installation work requires the issue of a
Y
Certificate of Electrical Safety in relation to that work and verified
(tested) in accordance with section 8 of AS/NZS 3000:2007.
Electricity
Safety Act
1998
Definitions
AS/NZS
3000:2007
Section 8
Verification
Are there further responsibilities beside
the Australian Energy Market Commission
requirements for an Embedded Network
Operator in relation to the control and
connection of the electricity to each
occupancy within the embedded network?
Yes, the embedded network operator must ensure that before the
electricity to any part or occupancy within the embedded network
is connected, a prescribed certificate is issued by the contractor for
the prescribed electrical installation work in relation to that part or
occupancy confirming it has been inspected and approved by
a licensed electrical inspector.
Electricity
Safety
(Installations)
Regulations
2009.
Regulation
238(d), 239
Electricity
Safety Act
1998
Section 45
AS/NZS
3000:2007
Clause 2.9.2.5
(c) & (h)
AS/NZS
3003:2011
Electrical
installations—
Patient areas
Clause 2.2.3
AS/NZS
3003:2011
Clause 6.2.4
The penalty for the failure to ensure the Certificate of Inspection
has been issued is 40 Penalty Units for a sole trader and
200 Penalty Units for a company.
Can I install a switchboard in the enclosed
area underneath stairs?
No, the enclosed area under stairs is considered a storage area
and the same restrictions apply for the installation of a switchboard
as a cupboard.
Section 2
Part 3
Electrical
Work
The Wiring Rules restrict switchboards being installed in locations
that could have an impact on the evacuation of the building during
an emergency due to smoke being generated from a fault within the
switchboard. Most domestic installations only have egress from the
upper to ground level via the internal stairs.
Are the electrical installations in doctors’
consulting rooms and surgeries required
to be installed as body-protected electrical
areas?
Yes, all locations in which it is intended that low-voltage medical
electrical equipment will be used in contact with patients while
connected to the electrical supply (except in emergencies) are
body-protected or cardiac-protected electrical areas.
Where there is doubt about the intended use of a particular
location, discussion with the health care facility shall be
necessary to resolve the question.
AS/NZS 3003:2011 Electrical installations—Patient areas
specifies special requirements for electrical installations in
patient areas. These requirements are additional to those
specified in AS/NZS 3000:2007 the wiring rules.
I have been contracted to install additional
socket outlets in a dental surgery, and the
existing socket-outlets do not comply with
AS/NZS 3003:2011 in relation to the colour
coding, circuit arrangement and RCD
protection.
Do I also need to bring the existing
socket outlets up to the current
requirements?
Where additional socket-outlets are installed in a patient area
and the total number is increased by more than 10 per cent,
all socket-outlets in that patient area shall comply with the
requirements of AS/NZS 3003:2011. If the total number is
increased less that 10 per cent the new socket outlets shall
comply with the requirements of AS/NZS 3003:2011 and
existing socket outlets can remain.