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For all the latest energy safety news visit www.esv.vic.gov.au
Summer/Autumn 2017
energysafe issue 46
In this issue
Our cover: ESV is launching a new
apprentice safety program designed to
foster safe work practices from the first
days of the job. Photo: Darren Tindale.
Latest news
05 DIY fatality prompts warning
06 Rest in peace: ESV launches new
camping safety campaign
07 Bold new look for ESV website
08 Regulators team up for safer
building sites
08 Transportable structures and the
need for COES
09 Man lucky to be alive after serious
electric shock
10 Retailer fined for selling
dodgy goods
You can now Like ESV on Facebook
and get important safety updates and
ESV news delivered to your news feed.
Don’t be the last to know about vital
safety alerts, product recall notices
or ESV news.
10 Restricted electrical workers
must use COES
10 Minister opens new Test Centre
11 Your electrical questions answered
12 Celebrating World Plumbing Day
12 Gas installations in bushfire-prone
areas
13 Have a say on regulatory changes
14 Your gas questions answered
15 Prosecutions and infringements
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To contact ESV or for further
information go to www.esv.vic.gov.au
From the Editor
It’s been another tragic start to the year
in Victoria with a man dying while trying
to install a powerpoint.
The 39-year-old was unlicensed and
working on a do-it-yourself job at home when
he inadvertently came into contact with
a live wire.
This tragic incident has shattered the man’s
young family, his community and friends.
The response to this issue on our Facebook
page has been unprecedented with our post
reaching more than 320,000 people in less than
a week.
Many people tagged friends to point out the
dangers of DIY, and one person even commented:
“So it really does happen”. Yes, it does. Three
Victorian families in the past 18 months are now
without loved ones due to DIY disasters.
In response to the tragedy, we are again
running our DIY=DIE campaign across
metropolitan and regional Victoria to try to get
the message across.
If you’d like to remind someone of the dangers
of DIY, you can order some of our free bumper
stickers through our website and we’ll send them
out.
The Facebook post sparked quite a debate
among some licence holders. There were a few
comments that ESV does not take unlicensed
work seriously enough, but I want to assure
everyone that we take it very seriously
and we do prosecute.
And that’s where we need your help. We
can’t see into everyone’s homes so we need
you to report things to us. You can email us at
[email protected].
Another popular comment was the issue
about stores selling electrical items to the public
without having to show proof of an electrical
licence, and why ESV can’t stop it.
Many people posted the opposing argument
that people should have the choice to be able
to choose their own lights, and that wider
availability of products ultimately makes them
cheaper for all.
Managing Editor
Sharon Rainsbury
Contributors
Anitra Robertson
Mirna Bukic
Laurie Devitt
John Stolk
Enzo Alfonsetti
Vanessa Garbett
Jason Treseder
John Murphy
Michael Grubert
Neil Fraser
The fact remains that it is not illegal to buy a
powerpoint or a light or electrical cable at a retailer
in Victoria but it is an offence to do the electrical
installation if you aren’t trained, qualified and
licensed.
ESV has no powers under our legislation
to stop the sale of compliant products, but that
doesn’t mean we won’t be doing all we can
to raise awareness about the dangers,
and to ensure that stores selling these products
have adequate signage alerting Victorians
to the regulations.
On a different subject, we launched our
new website in March and I’m pleased to report
that the response from stakeholders has been
overwhelmingly positive.
Apart from an updated look, the site has
moved to functional navigation based on the
reasons people come to the website rather
than whether they are an electrician, gasfitter
or consumer.
We’d love to hear what you think, so please
drop us an email at [email protected].
au. And don’t forget to send us an email to order
your free DIY=DIE stickers.
Sharon Rainsbury
[email protected]
Bronwyn Hellings
Naveen Kapoor
Design
Aer Design
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