Summary of safety observer requirements
| Exclusion zone safety observer | Live work safety observer | High Voltage live line work safety observer |
|---|---|---|
| Should# be hazard and risk aware | Must be hazard and risk aware | Must be hazard and risk aware |
| Should# be assigned to no other duties, other than as safety observer to observe, warn and communicate | Must be assigned to no other duties, other than as safety observer to observe, warn and communicate | Must be assigned to no other duties, other than as safety observer to observe, warn and communicate |
| Should# not observe more than one crane or plant at a time | Should# not observe more than one crane or plant at a time | Not a requirement |
| Should# not be positioned in an elevating work platform basket | Should# not be positioned in an elevating work platform basket | Must maintain a suitable position to observe the work |
Should# be appropriately skilled in observing, warning and communicating effectively; and who warns about:
|
Must be appropriately skilled in observing, warning and communicating effectively; and who warns about:
|
Must be appropriately skilled in observing, warning and communicating effectively; and who warns about:
|
| Should# be able to stop the work being performed | Should# be able to stop the work being performed | Must be able to stop the work being performed |
| Must be competent to help with the electrical work. The safety observer does not need to hold an electrical work licence or do the work themselves. To ‘help’ is to assist or facilitate the work being performed | Must be competent to perform the electrical work being performed. This means that the safety observer must be the holder of an electrical work licence. | |
| Must be competent in isolation techniques where appropriate. | Not a requirement | |
Must provide assistance in emergencies and be competent to:
|
Must provide assistance in emergencies and be competent to:
|
# Should is the minimum required which can be equivalent or better.
The difference between the level of skills and qualifications required by a safety observer directly correlates with the level of risk involved in each type of electrical work. This is consistent with the relevant Australian Standard AS/NZS 4836:2001 Safe working on low-voltage electrical installations (non-Queensland Government link).
The level of skill and qualification of a safety observer may alter depending on the risks identified in the risk assessment for the work being performed.