WorkSafe Queensland has issued a caution to electricians after a fatal incident in 2024. An electrical worker was upgrading a split air-conditioning system on the metal roof of a commercial building when the event occurred which didn’t require RCD protection.

The worker finished the installation of the compressor unit, mounted the base of the isolating switch and re-routed numerous thermoplastic-sheathed (TPS) cables into the switch enclosure.

They then fitted an unswitched socket outlet to one of the TPS cables with a temporary power source to connect a vacuum pump. The socket outlet was not fixed in position and the temporary setup showed accessible insulated conductors.

When the worker re-energised the circuit, they returned to the work area and touched an exposed and energised conductor. The electrical worker was given a fatal electric shock.

WorkSafe said the event emphasised the significance of managing task sequences with caution to prioritise electrical safety at every stage and the risks of working on or near exposed energised sources.

WorkSafe wants workers to not assume a set-up was safe and to always test the area before coming into contact.