Draft electrical safety regulations 2024

• Requires the occupier (tenant) of premises or moveable buildings (i.e. demountable) to test safety switches at least once every 12 months in accordance with written information given to them about the maintenance and testing of safety switches.
• Requires the occupier (tenant) of the premises to advise the owner (landlord or the property manager) of the premises or the moveable building that a safety switch or switches are not functional.
  • The owner must engage a licenced electrical worker to test the safety switch and replace the safety switch if it not functional.

• Simplifies electrical work licence approval processes to improve timeliness.
• Introduces new licence classes and endorsements to improve consistency with other jurisdictions. Licence class names and endorsements will change, but qualifications for eligibility and the scope of work that may be undertaken will remain similar.
  • Changes to licencing will improve the effectiveness of the automatic mutual recognition system for electrical workers who work in more than one jurisdiction.

(Note that existing electrical work and electrical contractor licences remain effective until their expiry date.)

• Introduces changes to electrical work licence fees and electrical contractor fees.
• Requires graduated supervision levels for apprentices and trainees using a model that is more consistent with supervision levels in other jurisdictions.
• Requires continual professional development for electrical workers.
• Requires electrical workers to be trained in the supervision of apprentices and trainees.
• Introduces penalties for misrepresentations about electrical work and electrical work licence status. This includes representations that are made on community notice boards and digital platforms.

• Requires de-energisation before commencing work in residential roof spaces, with very limited exceptions.
• Prohibits the use of conductive insulation in locations that may come into contact with a source of electricity.
• Prohibits the use of conductive fasteners for ceiling insulation.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires smoke detectors above electric vehicle connection points that are located indoors (excluding commercial buildings with fire suppressions systems where a written risk assessment has been undertaken by a competent person).
• Requires the installation of the following signage at the entrance of non-residential buildings where electric vehicle connection points have been installed.

• Requires the above signage in proximity to electric vehicle connection points.
• Requires electric vehicle connection points to be marked on fire indication block plans for commercial buildings.

• Requires a licensed electrical worker to install an approved safety switch before commencing work on an electrical installation in a domestic residence.

• Increases the range of offences that may be dealt with by way of infringement notice (in addition to prosecution).

• Requires electrical contractors to hold suitable insurance for their work.
• Requires persons conducting a business or undertaking to have safety switches tested by a competent person.
• Introduces penalties for misrepresentations about electrical work and electrical work licence status. This includes representations that are made on community notice boards and digital platforms.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires electrical contractors to provide licence details when advertising their services.

• Requires a person who receives an improvement notice to display that notice in a prominent place.

• Establishes liability to pay the reasonable costs of any re-inspection or re-attendance by an inspector for the purposes of ensuring compliance with a direction.

• Requires the electrical contractor to develop and maintain of register detailing the electrical workers they have engaged, including in-house electrical licence holders.

• Requires disconnection points for rooftop solar systems to be installed in accessible locations.
• Prohibits the installation of isolators on roofs.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires fencing around free standing low set solar installations.

• Requires the installation of a non-combustible barrier between an inverter and a wall, if the wall is made of combustible material (e.g. plaster board, timber) and adjacent to a room that is used for normal living activities (e.g. bedroom, living room). This requirement is for new installations only.
  • The barrier must extend 30cm out from each side of the inverter and is to prevent potential fires from the inverter burning through a wall and spreading into the adjacent room.

• Requires a prominent line to be painted around indoor and outdoor energy storage systems. Combustible materials must not be stored within the painted line.
• Extends the non-combustible barrier distances around energy storage systems beyond the requirements set out in Australian Standard AS/NZS 3000.
• Requires signage (below) outside buildings for commercial operations where energy storage systems with lithium chemistry are charged at 60 A hours or more. These commercial operations will require registration.

• Requires energy storage systems to be marked on fire indicator panel block plans for commercial buildings.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires smoke alarms to be installed above energy storage systems installed under the same roof as a habitable room.
• Requires signage outside buildings where energy storage systems are installed. Signage must also be placed in or on the main switchboard, in or on the sub-board and in or on the fire indicator panel in commercial buildings.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires the seller who transfers residential property to provide written notice to the purchaser detailing potential electrical risks with the property,
• Requires the purchaser to engage an electrical worker to rectify all potential risks detailed in the written notice within 90 days after the date of taking possession of the property.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires a seller to give the purchaser written notice specifying whether approved safety switches are installed for all general purpose socket-outlets.
• Requires a purchaser to engage a licenced electrical worker to install or replace approved safety switches within 90 days after the purchaser takes possession of the property.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2028

• Requires a seller to give the purchaser a written notice specifying whether approved safety switches are installed on all circuits.
• Requires a purchaser to engage a licenced electrical worker to install or replace approved safety switches on all circuits within 90 days after the purchaser takes possession of the property.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires the owner of a premises subject to a tenancy agreement or a moveable building that is subject to a hire agreement to install safety switches on general purpose socket outlets.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2028

• Requires the owner of a premises subject to a tenancy agreement or a moveable building that is subject to a hire agreement to install safety switches on all circuits.

• Requires landlords or their property managers to test safety switches at least 30 days before the start of the tenancy agreement or hire agreement, and to have each safety switch that does not function replaced by a licenced electrical worker.
• Requires the occupier of premises or moveable buildings to test safety switches at least once every 12 months in accordance with written information given to them about the maintenance and testing of safety switches.
• Requires the occupier of the premises to advise the owner of the premises or the moveable building that a safety switch or switches are not functional.
  • The owner must engage a licenced electrical worker to test the safety switch and replace the safety switch if it not functional.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires a licensed electrical worker to install an approved safety switch, if one is not already installed, before commencing work on an electrical installation in a domestic residence.

• Allows an electricity entity (e.g. Power and Water Corporation) to provide 14 days written notice before entering a property to clear trees or vegetation creating a risk to overhead powerlines if the property owner/occupier is not managing this risk.
  • The notice must provide the date, time and work that will be done to clear the vegetation, and must also include information on how any damage caused will be fixed or compensated.

• Requires the installation of a non-combustible barrier between an inverter and a wall, if the wall is made of combustible material (e.g. plaster board, timber) and an adjacent room that is used for normal living activities (e.g. bedroom, living room). This requirement is for new installations only.
• The barrier must extend 30cm out from each side of the inverter and is to prevent potential fires from the inverter burning through a wall and spreading into the adjacent room.

• Requires smoke alarms to be installed above energy storage systems installed under the same roof as a habitable room.
• Requires a prominent line to be painted around indoor and outdoor energy storage systems. Combustible materials must not be stored within the painted line.
• Extends the non-combustible barrier distances around energy storage systems beyond the requirements set out in Australian Standard AS/NZS 3000.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requiring signage outside non-residential buildings where energy storage systems are installed.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Require fencing around free standing low set solar installations to prevent children or animals from making contact.

• Requires a PCBU to have safety switches tested by a competent person.
• Requires a PCBU to ensure electrical equipment is inspected and tested by a competent person and or connected to a safety switch.
• Prohibits the use of double adaptors and piggyback plugs in manufacturing work and with amusement rides and devices.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires a PCBU performing manufacturing work to have safety switch installed for socket outlet with current rating =<20A and =<2.3 metres above floor.

• Requires a prominent line to be painted around indoor and outdoor energy storage systems. Combustible materials must not be stored within the painted line.
• Extends the non-combustible barrier distances around energy storage systems beyond the requirements set out in Australian Standard AS/NZS 3000.
• Requires (below) signage outside buildings for commercial operations where energy storage systems with lithium chemistry are charged at 60 amp hours or more. These commercial operations will require registration with the Electrical Safety Regulator.

• Requires energy storage systems to be marked on fire indicator panel block plans for commercial buildings.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires smoke alarms to be installed above energy storage systems installed under the same roof as a habitable room.
• Requires signage outside buildings where energy storage systems are installed. Signage must also be placed in or on the main switchboard, in or on the sub-board and in or on the fire indicator panel in commercial buildings.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires smoke detectors above electric vehicle connection points that are located indoors (excluding commercial buildings with fire suppressions systems where a written risk assessment has been undertaken by a competent person).
• Requires the installation of the following signage at the entrance of non-residential buildings where electric vehicle connection points have been installed.

• Requires the above signage in proximity to electric vehicle connection points.
• Requires electric vehicle connection points to be marked on fire indication block plans for commercial buildings.

• Requires a person who receives an improvement notice to display that notice in a prominent place.

• Establishes liability to pay the reasonable costs of any re-inspection or re-attendance by an inspector for the purposes of ensuring compliance with a direction.

• Requires de-energisation before commencing work in residential roof spaces, with very limited exceptions.
• Prohibits the use of conductive insulation in locations that may come into contact with a source of electricity.
• Prohibits the use of conductive fasteners for ceiling insulation.

Community groups and not-for-profit organisations come under the umbrella term Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) in the new electrical safety laws. Because the conduct of these groups could affect the electrical safety of others, they will have a duty to manage electrical safety risks under the new laws.

For example, a community theatre group that hires local council facilities will need to ensure any electrical equipment used is not only safe from electrical risks, but also used in a way that doesn’t create an electrical risk.

• Requires community groups and not-for-profit organisations (as a PBCU) to manage electrical safety risks by identifying hazards, using a hierarchy of controls measures to either eliminate or minimise the electrical risks, maintain any control measures used and to review the control measures used to ensure they are fit for purpose, suitable for the nature of the work, and installed and used correctly.

• Introduces new licence classes and endorsements to improve consistency with other jurisdictions. Licence class names and endorsements will change, but qualifications for eligibility and the scope of work that may be undertaken will remain similar.
• Requires continual professional development for electrical workers.
• Requires electrical workers to be trained in the supervision of apprentices and trainees.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires fencing around free standing low set solar installation

• Requires a prominent line to be painted around indoor and outdoor energy storage systems. Combustible materials must not be stored within the painted line.
• Extends the non-combustible barrier distances around energy storage systems beyond the requirements set out in Australian Standard AS/NZS 3000.
• Requires (below) signage outside buildings for commercial operations where energy storage systems with lithium chemistry are charged at 60 A hours or more. These commercial operations will require registration.

• Requires energy storage systems to be marked on fire indicator panel block plans for commercial buildings.

Proposed changes commencing 1 July 2026

• Requires signage outside buildings where energy storage systems are installed. Signage must also be placed in or on the main switchboard, in or on the sub-board and in or on the fire indicator panel in commercial buildings.

• Allows distribution entities to issue improvement notices requiring remedial action.

• Requires the electrical contractor to develop and maintain of register detailing the electrical workers they have engaged, including in-house electrical licence holders.

• Allows the Electrical Safety Regulator to share information with a wider range of agencies (including distribution entities) for the purposes of electrical safety.

• Requires safety management and mitigations plans to be approved by the Electrical Safety Regulator instead of the Utilities Commission.