Work Health and Safety (Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace) Code of Practice 2015

This instrument is the Work Health and Safety (Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace) Code of Practice 2015. It was made under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 as an approved code of practice. The Code is designed to give practical guidance on managing electrical risks in workplaces.

The Code itself explains its legal role. In most cases, following an approved code of practice would achieve compliance with health and safety duties under the WHS Act in relation to the subject matter of the code. It is also admissible in court proceedings under the WHS Act and Regulations. Courts may treat it as evidence of what is known about a hazard, risk or control, and may rely on it when deciding what is reasonably practicable in the circumstances. Inspectors may also refer to it when issuing improvement or prohibition notices.

The Code is not the only possible path to compliance. A business may follow another method, such as a technical or industry standard, if that method provides an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety than the Code. That makes the Code both a practical guide and an important benchmark.

The wording used in the Code matters. The Code says that must, requires and mandatory indicate a legal requirement. The word should indicates a recommended course of action. The word may indicates an optional course of action. When using this page, businesses should keep that distinction in mind and check the underlying WHS Act, WHS Regulations and any local electrical safety laws that apply to them.

The Code provides practical guidance for persons conducting a business or undertaking, or PCBUs, on managing electrical risks in the workplace. It applies to all workplaces where a PCBU has management or control of electrical equipment, including electrical installations, or carries out electrical work on or near energised electrical equipment, including electrical installations.

The Code also applies to construction and demolition sites. However, where a requirement is dealt with in AS/NZS 3012:2010 Electrical installations - Construction and demolition sites, the Code says that you must comply with AS/NZS 3012:2010 instead for that requirement.

The Code is broader than many businesses expect. It is relevant not only to electrical contractors, but also to businesses that provide electrical equipment to workers, control a workplace, engage contractors, or operate in environments where electrical equipment can be damaged or create fire, shock or explosion risks.

The Code also lists work that is outside its scope. This exclusion list is important because businesses often assume all electrical activity is covered in the same way.

The Code defines extra-low voltage as voltage not exceeding 50 volts alternating current or 120 volts ripple-free direct current. If your business sits near the edge of one of these exclusions, or works across multiple jurisdictions, you should check the full Code and any local electrical safety laws before relying on a short summary.

A PCBU has the primary duty under the WHS Act to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons at the workplace are not exposed to electrical risks arising from the business or undertaking. That means eliminating electrical risks where reasonably practicable, or otherwise minimising them so far as is reasonably practicable.

The Code points to more specific WHS Regulation duties as well. It states that a person conducting a business or undertaking must manage risks to health and safety associated with electrical risks at the workplace. It also explains that PCBUs must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that electrical equipment and installations at the workplace are without risks to health and safety.

There are additional trigger points depending on what your business does. If you manage or control a workplace, you may need to ensure effective residual current devices are used in certain high-risk environments defined in the regulations. If you carry out electrical work, you must comply with the prohibition on electrical work on energised electrical equipment, subject to limited exceptions. If you arrange electrical installation work, the Code says you should ensure it is carried out by qualified persons and that testing and compliance requirements are met.

The Code also identifies duties for other parties. Designers and manufacturers must ensure electrical equipment or installations are designed and manufactured so that electrical risks are eliminated or, if that is not reasonably practicable, minimised so far as is reasonably practicable. Officers must exercise due diligence, including taking reasonable steps to ensure the business has and uses appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise electrical risks. Workers must take reasonable care, avoid adversely affecting others, and comply with reasonable instructions and policies.

The Code adopts the standard WHS risk management process. A duty holder must identify reasonably foreseeable hazards, eliminate the risk so far as is reasonably practicable, or if elimination is not reasonably practicable, minimise the risk so far as is reasonably practicable by implementing control measures. The business must then maintain those control measures so they remain effective, and review and revise them where necessary.

Electrical risks are described broadly. They include risks of death, electric shock or other injury caused directly or indirectly by electricity. The Code lists common risks and causes of injury such as electric shock, arcing, explosion or fire causing burns, step-and-touch potentials, toxic gases released by burning or arcing, and fire resulting from an electrical fault. It also notes that even brief contact with electricity at 50 volts AC or 120 volts DC can have serious consequences.

Hazards can arise from the design, construction, installation, maintenance and testing of equipment or installations, design changes or modifications, inadequate or inactive electrical protection, where and how equipment is used, the type and age of equipment, and work carried out on or near electrical equipment, overhead lines or underground services. The Code also notes that exposure to high electromagnetic fields may present a hazard for workers with some medical conditions, such as pacemakers.

The Code gives practical ways to identify hazards. These include talking to workers, observing where and how equipment is used, regularly inspecting and testing equipment and installations as appropriate, reading product labels and manufacturer instructions, speaking with manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations and health and safety specialists, and reviewing incident reports.

Risk assessment involves considering the consequence if someone is exposed to the hazard and the likelihood of it happening. The Code says a written risk assessment by a competent person is required for work on energised electrical equipment. More generally, a risk assessment can help determine the severity of the risk, whether existing controls are effective, what action should be taken and how urgently.

When choosing controls, the Code uses the hierarchy of risk control. The most effective measure is elimination. If that is not reasonably practicable, the business should work through substitution, isolation, engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE. The Code gives examples such as using extra-low voltage battery-operated tools instead of mains-powered tools, preventing contact with the source of an electrical hazard, installing RCDs, and using exclusion zones, permits and warning signs. It also makes clear that administrative controls and PPE do not change the hazard itself and should only be relied on where other measures are not reasonably practicable or as an interim control.

The Code is not limited to general principles. Its table of contents shows detailed guidance on unsafe electrical equipment and installations, inspecting and testing electrical equipment, inspecting and testing equipment on construction and demolition sites, residual current devices, electrical work, working de-energised, low voltage isolation and access, energised electrical work, working near energised electrical parts, tools and equipment, first aid and high voltage electrical work.

In the general electrical safety section, the Code highlights practical control measures such as ensuring power circuits are protected by the appropriate rated fuse or circuit breaker to prevent overloading. If a circuit keeps overloading, the Code says not to increase the fuse rating, because that creates a fire risk due to overheating. Instead, the circuit should not be re-energised until the reason for the operation has been determined by a competent person.

The Code also says electrical leads should be arranged so they will not be damaged. So far as is reasonably practicable, leads should not be run across the floor or ground, through doorways or over sharp edges, and lead stands or insulated cable hangers should be used to keep leads off the ground. The broader structure of the Code also shows that businesses should pay close attention to inspection and testing, RCD use, safe isolation, test instruments, insulating barriers and mats, ladders and scaffolds used near electrical hazards, PPE and first aid arrangements.

For businesses that carry out or commission electrical work, the Code places strong emphasis on working de-energised, verifying de-energised equipment, securing isolation, controlling re-energising for testing or fault finding, restoring power safely and managing unfinished work. It separately addresses the prohibition on energised electrical work, planning and preparation for any permitted energised work, and the controls required when working near energised electrical parts.

The Code makes consultation a core part of electrical risk management. A PCBU must consult, so far as is reasonably practicable, with workers who carry out work for the business and who are or are likely to be directly affected by a work health and safety matter. If workers are represented by a health and safety representative, that representative must be involved in the consultation.

The Code says consultation is required at every step of the risk management process. That includes sharing information, giving workers a reasonable opportunity to express views and taking those views into account before making decisions on health and safety matters. The practical reason is simple: workers often know where equipment is damaged, where unsafe shortcuts happen, and which controls are not working in real conditions.

Where more than one duty holder is involved, the Code says they must consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with each other so far as is reasonably practicable. This is especially important when a business engages an electrical contractor. The business and contractor should exchange information about how the work is to be carried out and how risks to workers and others at the workplace will be managed while the work is being done.

The Code also requires suitable and adequate information, training, instruction and supervision. It says the content and delivery should reflect the nature of the work, the risks at the time, and the control measures implemented. Information and training must be provided in a way that is readily understandable. The Code gives examples including induction training, supervisor and management training, work-specific training, refresher training, emergency procedure training, first aid training, and electrical rescue and resuscitation training for safety observers. It also says the special needs of workers should be taken into account, including literacy levels, work experience and specific skills required.

Electrical risk management is not a one-off exercise. The Code says control measures must be reviewed regularly to make sure they work effectively. A review is required when the control measure does not control the risk so far as is reasonably practicable, before a workplace change likely to create a new or different risk, if a new relevant hazard or risk is identified, if consultation indicates a review is necessary, or if a health and safety representative requests a review.

The Code includes practical review questions that businesses can use as a compliance sense-check. These include whether you talk to workers about electrical safety, whether new work methods or equipment could make work safer, whether procedures for identifying electrical hazards are effective, whether electrical safety procedures are followed, whether workers are encouraged to report hazards, whether equipment is regularly inspected and maintained, and whether identified hazards are fixed in a timely manner.

For many businesses, the most useful approach is to turn these review points into a recurring checklist. That can sit alongside contractor management, maintenance records, incident reporting, induction materials and site inspections. If your business operates across states or territories, also confirm whether the model WHS approach has been adopted locally without change, and whether separate electrical safety legislation adds extra requirements.

The instrument is listed as in force on the Federal Register of Legislation. It is identified as F2016L00407 and was registered on 30 March 2016. The instrument states that it commences on the day after registration, which means commencement was 31 March 2016.

The Code was approved on 17 December 2015. Businesses should still check the current Federal Register entry and their local jurisdiction before relying on this page, particularly because model WHS materials may be adopted with local variations and because separate electrical safety laws may also apply.

This guide is based on the current Federal Register of Legislation entry for the Work Health and Safety (Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace) Code of Practice 2015 and the text of the Code. It summarises the Code's scope, legal status and practical themes, but it does not replace the full instrument, the WHS Act, the WHS Regulations, AS/NZS 3012:2010 where applicable, or any state or territory electrical safety laws.

Businesses dealing with energised work, high voltage work, construction and demolition sites, specialised plant, hazardous atmospheres or contractor-heavy worksites should read the full Code and confirm the local legal position before acting.