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Apprentice fatalities spark
new education program
By Vanessa Garbett, Compliance Officer
The past 12 months have seen the death of
four electrical workers in Victoria. To date,
this is the worst result for electrical worker
fatalities for any State or Territory in either
Australia or New Zealand.
All the victims were young men in their early
to mid-20s who died while performing relatively
standard electrical work. Three of the four
electrical workers were apprentices.
These numbers are staggering and indicate
the need for additional measures in the industry.
Supervisors must take all necessary precautions
to set an example to those around them, whether
they are:
» » apprentices who need to be trained on how
to work safely
» » young electrical workers who may consider
themselves bulletproof
» » older workers who have established
bad habits.
The difference between an electrical incident,
injury or fatality is usually marginal. This may
include the current path through the body, the
position a person may be standing in, the surfaces
they are in contact with, or merely the luck of the
moment.
ESV is launching a new campaign in an effort
to improve safety outcomes for electrical workers.
Initially, it will target first-year apprentices with a
safety presentation at TAFE and the distribution of
free Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) Kits and low-voltage
(LV) gloves.
The second phase will involve a safety
presentation targeting employers and supervisors
on effective supervision of apprentices.
Safety lesson: ESV will be providing all first-year apprentices with Lock-Out Tag-Out kits so they can
adopt safe work practices right from the start of their working lives.
Other aspects of the campaign will promote
AS/NZS 4836 – Safe work on or near low-voltage
electrical equipment. If you do not already work to
this Standard, then please do so immediately.
ESV will also be releasing a guidance
document later this year.
These fatalities and other serious electrical
injuries highlight the fact that the industry is not
taking adequate measures to isolate and test,
but relying on short-cuts.
We must change our safety culture in
the electrical industry if we are serious about
reducing the incidents of death and injury.
It may seem like a nuisance to wear LV gloves
while testing, but they may provide adequate
protection from injury or death when working
near live parts.
It may also seem like a nuisance to leave a
roof space or disrupt a working facility to isolate a
circuit, but that is what is required and necessary
to save a life.
Apprentices make every effort to please and
gain acceptance in the industry, and ultimately do
not know any better than what their supervisor or
peer is prepared to teach them.
Supervisors must encourage apprentices to
ask questions and allow them to feel confident to
say “No” if they feel unsafe or are unsure. Teach
and encourage your apprentices to prove the
status of circuits to be worked on for themselves
and to take all adequate precautions.
Collectively, we have a duty of care to our
apprentices and those we may influence. This
includes ensuring they have prosperous futures in
the industry, and go home safely to their families
and loved ones at the end of every day.
Good habits start young: It is important to
remember to always wear gloves when testing.
All those supervising apprentices need to lead by
example and show them the right way to work.