General electrical safety

Queensland's Electrical Safety Office undertakes a wide range of activities to help Queenslanders stay safe around electricity.

The Electrical Safety Office website provides a range of services and information about electrical safety in Queensland. Through this site you can:

• find out if your electrician is properly licensed
• receive information on electrical product recalls and alerts
• register to attend an electrical safety forum
• access a wide range of electrical safety fact sheets and brochures
• learn about electrical safety around powerlines.

If you have questions about a potential electrical safety problem, call the Electrical Safety Infoline on 1300 362 128.

Queensland electricity distributors also provide information on electrical safety, especially regarding how to prepare for the summer storm season and what to do about fallen power poles.

Visit Energex or Ergon Energy for more electrical safety tips and advice.

Powerline safety

Powerlines are dangerous. They should be treated with extreme caution at all times.

As an employer or self-employed person, you have an obligation under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 to ensure that anyone performing work for your business or undertaking, involving contact with, or being near to exposed live parts, are electrically safe.

Excavating near electrical cables

You have safety responsibilities if you are excavating on your property where there are electrical cables. Underground electricity cables could be almost anywhere you dig, and damaging them may disrupt essential services, cause injuries and could result in a fine. To make sure your work is safe, visit Before You Dig Australia or phone on 1100 before you begin excavating.

Before You Dig Australia is a free service that covers electricity, gas, water and telecommunications, and provides the location of underground pipes and cables within your property. If the proposed excavation site within your property has underground networks, all relevant plans showing their location should be provided within 2 working days.

Also consider...

• Learn more about keeping your workplace safe.
• View our Tools for your small business webinar for information on safety fundamentals for small business, how to access resources, implement ideas and keep you and your workers safe.