Energy Safe Victoria chief executive officer Leanne Hughson is calling on the electrical industry to take better account of electrical safety and occupational health and safety after four serious incidents in only two months, including an incident that led to the death of an electrical worker.

“Our thoughts are with the family friends and colleagues of the electrician who died. This is a tragedy that should not have happened,” she says.

“Three serious injuries and a fatality are too much in too short a space of time. These incidents could have been avoided if proper electrical safety, occupational health, and safety precautions were taken.”

On 4 July, an electrician was hospitalised with burns after he pierced a live cable with his pliers at a residential property in Clifton Hill, causing an explosion. On 22 July, a 29-year-old electrician was hospitalised with burns caused by an arc fault from a live switchboard at a Burwood East office complex.

A third incident saw a switchboard tester suffering an electric shock and being resuscitated on 30 August after encountering live electrical equipment while testing a newly manufactured switchboard. On 5 September, an electrical worker fell from an incomplete stair void scaffold system at a domestic construction site and died from his injuries.

Leanne says that the circumstances of the incidents are currently under investigation, However, she highlighted that electrical workers should know electrical safety basics and that nobody should be working live: “Electricity supply should be isolated before electrical work starts and effective supervision should be provided to all electrical workers, particularly apprentices”.

Electrical workers should ensure an assessment of potential risks has been conducted before commencing work, taking the time to identify possible risk factors such as isolating electricity supply to ensure electrical risks are eliminated before works commence, ensuring appropriate personal protective equipment is used when assessing an installation or live testing and that the age of the installation and understanding the configuration.