Electrical Licensing Committee

Have you ever wondered what the Electrical Licensing Committee does? Did you even know it existed?

One reason you should know about the committee is that it oversees the operation of Queensland’s electrical licensing system, and that means ‘your’ licence.

Formally known as the Electrical Contractors Board, the electrical licensing committee was constituted in 2002 by the Electrical Safety Act, the role of the Electrical Licensing Committee involves:

• giving advice and making recommendations to the Electrical Safety Board about licences and training
• disciplining electrical licence holders, and previous electrical contractor licence holders
• reviewing decisions of the chief executive about electrical licences.

The Committee is also involved in:

• recommending training modules and courses to qualify people for licences
• making recommendations about the safety of electrical work and the standards for qualifications required for an electrical licence
• receiving and investigating complaints about electrical work
• taking action to ensure holders of electrical licences perform work or conduct their business or undertaking to appropriate standards. This can include cancelling or suspending licences or taking other disciplinary action.

The committee comprises:

• the Commissioner for Electrical Safety (chairperson)
• an employer representative
• a worker representative
• a community representative
• a technical expert.

During the 2007–08 year the Committee met nine times and held 13 disciplinary hearings, involving seven electrical workers and six electrical contractors, as a result of non-compliant electrical work. Disciplinary action was implemented in 11 of these cases.

It also considered 23 applications for review of electrical licensing decisions where the chief executive considered the application did not meet the eligibility criteria and the applications were refused. The Committee confirmed all original decisions of the chief executive.

The Committee also provided advice to the Electrical Safety Board on licensing eligibility and competency requirements.