Electrical news
Summer 2019
energysafe issue 56
Your electrical
questions answered
By Simon O'Leary, Compliance Officer, Electrical Installation Safety
Question Answer Standard/Clause
Please advise which of the following
'Property type/Property use' on a
COES is to be used for the installation
of traffic signals? Industrial or Commercial may be best suited for this type of
installation. ES Regs 2009
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R.241
Note: these categories are intended to guide ESV in regards
to our audit program.
Domestic (single)
Residential (multiple)
Commercial (office/shop)
Industrial (factory), or
Combination
I am an A-grade electrician, but not a
registered contractor (REC). Yes. You can carry out this work without being a Registered Electrical
Contractor (REC) as it is installation work for no profit, gain or reward.
Am I able to change over some old
flight fittings to LEDs at a family
members house if I am not paid for
the work? Note: you are still required to complete the appropriate
Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) within the required times
for the work undertaken. Also, you must inform that family member
(the homeowner) that you do not hold insurance that will cover
them for your work.
I understand there are new rules
known as the ‘General Regulations’
that registered electrical contractors
(RECs), electricians and electrical
inspectors must comply with. Recently the Governor in Council along with the Responsible
Minister enacted the new Electricity Safety (General) Regulations
2019. The ‘General Regulations’ came into operation on 6 December
2019, and replace the current Electricity Safety (Installations)
Regulations 2009.
When will these new rules be
operational, and where can I get a
copy? The General Regulations have many changes from the previous
Installations Regulations and include a number of new requirements
and obligations. Electricians, employers of electricians, RECs and
licensed electrical inspectors will all need to be familiar with the
new General Regulations.
OIC, G17 1999
Part 1. 2(a)
Electricity
Safety (General)
Regulations 2019
The Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019 will be available
at the Victorian Law Today Library , AustLii or ESV’s website.
A fence builder has asked me about a
job he has coming up, where there is
a conduit running along an old timber
boundary fences he has to replace.
The conduit and wiring supply some
lights, and a weatherproof powerpoint
is also installed on the fence.
I understood that wiring could not be
installed on a boundary fence. Is this
correct?
No. There is nothing in the Wiring Rules or other legislation
administered by ESV that prohibits the installation of wiring
systems on boundary fences – timber or brick.
However, the wiring systems will need to be considered as installed
in positions where they may reasonably be expected to be subject
to mechanical damage (Cl 3.9.4.1 AS3000:2018) and installed in
a location where it is deemed likely to be disturbed (Cl 3.9.3.3.1
AS3000:2018). Therefore, suitable protection, support and fixing
must be employed when installing or reinstalling the wiring systems
and the appliances or accessories.
Where a fence is being replaced or repaired, the builder or
fencer will need to assess the installation and will need to engage
a REC to remove or make safe the wiring systems and any associated
appliances or accessories, and have the REC reinstate the wiring
systems and appliances or accessories when the fence has been
replaced or repaired.
20
AS/NZS 3000:2018
Clause 3.9.4.1 and
3.9.3.3.1