What are my obligations?

To understand your obligations for electrical safety you need to know:

• the Electrical Safety Act 2002 which imposes obligations for electrical safety.

You also need to know:

• the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 (PDF File, 1.02 MB) which has a framework for managing electrical safety. It states ways a person can discharge their electrical safety obligation.
• ministerial notices are released when the Minister identifies electrical risk for persons or property and believes that urgent action should be taken.
• Codes of practice also help you meet your obligations for working safely with electricity. Specifically:
  • Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2010 - Working Near Exposed Live Parts (PDF File, 789.0 KB) 
  • Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2010 - Electrical Work (PDF File, 740.7 KB) 
  • Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2010 - Works (PDF File, 502.0 KB)
  • Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2010 - Electrical Equipment Rural Industry (PDF File, 864.1 KB)
  • Electrical Safety Code of Practice 2010 - Risk Management (PDF File, 616.5 KB).

How can I meet my obligations?

Under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 there are three ways you can meet your electrical safety obligations:

• regulations
• ministerial notices
• codes of practice.

If the Regulation sets a way of discharging your electrical safety obligation, you will fail to meet your obligation if you contravene the Regulation.

If a ministerial notice sets a way of meeting an electrical safety obligation for an electrical risk, you will fail to meet that obligation if you contravene the ministerial notice.

If a code of practice states a way of meeting your electrical safety obligation, you will fail to meet that obligation if you:

• contravene the code or act in a way that is inconsistent with the code
• do not follow a way that is equally effective to, or more effective than the code of practice.

You meet your electrical safety obligations by complying with any regulations, ministerial notices and codes of practice.

Codes of practice provide guidance on ways you may discharge your obligations for electrical safety.

If you fail to meet your electrical safety obligations, you may be penalised.

It is not enough to work in a way that is electrically safe. You must also remember your broader workplace health and safety obligations. See Who has obligations? for more details.

Managing risk by identifying potential hazards and risks that could impact on people and property and establishing a safe system of work that reduces these risks will help to meet your obligations.