Illegality of repairing electrical equipment

[Bodgy]

The previous arguments about legislation and control notwithstanding, there are a number of reasons why we should have control over who does electrical work, and only the least important of those is that sparkies should be garaunteed jobs.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: go down to Bunnings on a Saturday or Sunday and take a look around you at the people shopping there. Do you really want these people installing powerpoints in your future house, or your kid's next rental?

No I don't, Thats a great debating point Silent, just the idea send shivers down one's spine, however........

In a less regulated society I would commision a survey of the wiring before I bought the house, as I would know that no regulatory body had oversight.

I think its all about personal responsibility versus State regulation.

I wonder if there are more fires/electrical accidents in the US than here?

[silentC]

Yeah we've been down that path. Nothing conclusive but we certainly don't seem to be any safer than the US or the UK.

The other point that people keep making is that we are happy to tell people how to use tablesaws, or modify their chainsaws, or rip walls out of their houses.

Actually, I think that being 'happy' about it is not quite right. I often shake my head when I read some of the things people suggest or propose. I'm afraid I don't have a lot of faith in my fellow man, which just makes it all the more impressive when I see some of the really clever things some people can do

[speedy]

Just to put a bit of scary reality in here, a few years ago up here in a cairns caravan park 2 people were electrocuted and one, a 17 year old boy died. They touched the pipe holding a light, the type of lights you see in these places, 50mm gal water pipe with a spherical light on top. During the police investigation it was found that the previous owner of the van park had, 10 years earlier, installed the lights himself and he wasn't a licenced electrician. The police tracked him down and charged him with manslaughter.
The point here is, if you wire something in your house or garden and later, maybe after you sell the house, someone is injured and killed you may find yourself in gaol.

[Frank&Earnest]

Back again to own up to a mistake I made.

It is not as clear cut as I made it up to be. In urban areas in SA it is indeed necessary to have a "worker registration" (i.e. to be qualified) to do fixed wiring work. Right or wrong, only cockies are exempted.

The misunderstanding was due to the fact that a "licence" is only required to charge for work, on that count I was correct.

As regards the topic of this thread I was also correct (sorry if somebody already said this, I have not read the posts since my last ETA: yep, China said it.): Regulation 4 of the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Electricians Act makes it clear that on your side of the plug it is your business.

Other States should be the same, but I can't tell.

[silentC]

it is indeed necessary to have a "worker registration" (i.e. to be qualified) to do fixed wiring work

Does the work done under one of these "worker registrations" need to be tested by a qualified person?

[TEEJAY]

Does the work done under one of these "worker registrations" need to be tested by a qualified person?

Well when I did mine it was - BUT - I recon that's a trick question SilentC

[Frank&Earnest]

Does the work done under one of these "worker registrations" need to be tested by a qualified person?

The registered worker IS a qualified person, ie an electrician.

[silentC]

See, in NSW I could do the wiring myself under the direct supervision of a sparky who is a licensed supervisor. That would mean he had to be on site telling me what to do. When it was finished, he would then have to test it himself and fill in paperwork to be submitted proving that the tests were done. This would apply to any work, whether it was a new house, a renovation, or just putting a new point in the shed.

SA might be behind the times with this, they don't seem to have an equivalent of the Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act, so it's probably a grey area. QLD could be the same. The question is, how much longer will it remain that way?

[silentC]

The registered worker IS a qualified person, ie an electrician.

So you have to be an electrician to become a registered worker?

[Frank&Earnest]

Now we are moving the goalposts... and restarting possible equivocation about "licensed supervisor". SA does indeed have an Electricity Act, I mentioned before section 60 setting the obligation to ensure safety, which assurance can be obtained by getting a Certificate of Compliance.

Here, there or anywhere, playing with electrical equipment that is not connected to the mains is not "wiring". Again, I have not perused the legislation, but this is common sense. (The ghost of Voltaire just jabbed me... never mind). If you dig the ditches, lay the cables, etc. it is fine: indeed, to overcome a timing problem when the electrician was too busy to come before the carpenter put in the kitchen cabinets, he was quite happy to give me the appropriate cable to lay and then he came and connected the appliances. At the end, he is the one certifying that all my mistakes, if any, have been corrected.

[Frank&Earnest]

So you have to be an electrician to become a registered worker?

yes, that is the legal term. Have not read the details, for example an apprentice is registered but must be supervised, etc.