Inquest reopens debate about compulsory safety switches

Master Electricians Australia (MEA) has welcomed the Queensland State Coroner’s recommendation that the Queensland Government consider making safety switches compulsory on every circuit in every home.

During the course of the inquiry into the pink batts scheme - formally known as the Home Insulation Program - under which three young men were killed in Queensland, MEA recommended that the issue of safety switches be examined. Malcolm Richards, CEO of MEA, said he is pleased that the recommendation has been taken seriously.

“We call on every state government to examine the findings of this enquiry and take action to make safety switches compulsory in every home, on every circuit, in the country,” Richards said.

“We need all of our state governments to urgently act on this recommendation to minimise the risk of similar tragedies in the future.”

According to MEA research, approximately 15 people are killed and 300 hospitalised each year from electric shocks in the home. MEA says these accidents could easily be prevented by having a safety switch installed on every circuit.

“Sadly, more than 20 years after safety switches became compulsory on power circuits in new homes, many houses still do not have them fitted, and very few have them on every circuit,” Richards said.

“Injury or death can come from something as simple as a child removing toast from a toaster with a knife, a home handyman drilling a hole in a wall to hang a picture or even stormwater penetrating into a light fitting or power point.”