Contractor fined after apprentice receives electric shock

A WA electrical contractor has been charged and fined after an unsupervised electrical apprentice received an electric shock.

Following charges brought by the state safety regulator Building and Energy, Boss Electrical and Mechanical Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to an offence under the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991. This law requires the work of electrical apprentices to be effectively supervised by an appropriately licensed electrical worker.

The court heard that no supervising electrical worker was present when a second-year electrical apprentice employed by Boss was installing exit lights at a Forrestfield property. The apprentice was only accompanied by another apprentice and a provisional electrical licence holder. A provisional licence holder cannot supervise electrical apprentices under any circumstances.

While installing the supply wire to an exit light, the apprentice received an electric shock and subsequently jumped off his ladder. He was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital for an electrocardiogram and other monitoring, but was not seriously injured.

The company was fined $5000 and ordered to pay $770 in costs.

WA’s Director of Energy Safety, Saj Abdoolakhan, said the apprentice was incredibly fortunate to have avoided a permanent or even fatal injury.

“The regulations explicitly state that effective supervision of electrical work is required to prevent danger to life and property,” Abdoolakhan said.

“A second-year apprentice should not have been working on the live part of an electrical installation at all, let alone without any appropriate supervision.”

Abdoolakhan added that the incident served as a stark reminder to industry about the importance of effectively supervising apprentices and ensuring they go home safely.

“It is also vital to always check an electrical installation is de-energised and safe to be worked on prior to starting the job,” he stressed.

For more information on electrical apprentice safety, read Building and Energy’s ‘Safe working guidelines for electrical workers and apprentices’.

Image credit: iStock.com/JohnnyVillan. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.