New laws protect workers from risk
Queensland has introduced new electrical safety laws, to protect workers from risks when performing electrical work near energised electrical equipment and carrying out work in domestic roof spaces.
Two stage implementation
The Electrical Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2024 (ESOLA Regulation) will be implemented in two stages, following the recommendations from the Review of Queensland’s Electrical Safety Act 2002. Per the new legislation, water equipment will also be defined as ‘prescribed electrical equipment’.
Per the new legislation, water equipment will also be defined as ‘prescribed electrical equipment’.
Stage one
From 1 January 2025, persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) and workers will be required to de-energise relevant electrical installations or otherwise comply with additional safety measures, to carry out work in or when entering the roof space of a domestic building.
The new requirements apply to PCBUs and workers across all industries, such as gas fitting, plumbing, pest control, insulation activities, roof and ceiling repair and electrical work (including air conditioning installation). The requirements apply to domestic buildings including houses, apartments, town houses, sheds, guest houses, small hostels and boarding houses.
These new requirements embed existing safe practices of turning the power off before entering a roof space.
“These new requirements embed existing safe practices of turning the power off before entering a roof space.”
From 1 January 2025, requirements for performing electrical work ‘on’ energised electrical equipment will be extended to electrical work ‘near’ (within three metres of an exposed energised part of) energised electrical equipment. This is in response to the risk of arc flash from working near energised electrical equipment.
Stage two
From 1 April 2025, water equipment will also be captured under legislation as prescribed electrical equipment. Using newly introduced powers from the Electrical Safety Act 2022, prescription of water equipment recognises that extra low voltage equipment in water can cause a current in the water which may lead to paralysis and drowning.
New laws from 1 April 2025 will help Queenslanders stay safe by requiring PCBUs to comply with supply chain duties ensuring that the water equipment used in homes and workplaces is electrically safe. The new laws also maintain that electrical work on water equipment can only be done by a licensed electrical worker.
