Electrical installation FAQ

Testing and an inspection must be carried out the six following mandatory tests along with a visual inspection of the electrical work.

• Continuity of the earthing system and earth resistance of the main earthing conductor, protective earthing conductors and bonding conductors.
• Insulation resistance of the wiring system.
• Polarity of the consumer’s mains and the wiring system.
• Correct circuit connections.
• Verification of impedance required for automatic disconnection of supply e. earth fault-loop impedance.
• Operation of Residual Current Devices (RCDs).

If the licensed electrical worker knows or should reasonably be expected to know the area is a patient area or intended to be a patient area, the electrical worker must ensure the installed, altered, repaired or maintained portion of the installation complies with AS/NZS 3003 Electrical installations – Patient areas. 

Any person who engages an electrician to work on any premises that contains a patient area or an area that is intended to be a patient area, must ensure the electrician is given written notice prior to the carrying out of work that includes the location and boundary of any patient area.

The work will be prescribed electrical work and will need to be inspected by an M-class, licensed electrical inspector (LEI).

It is now a requirement under the law (the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019) that any person who employs an apprentice must ensure the apprentice is given effective supervision in accordance with Energy Safe’s published Apprentice Supervision Requirements. This requirement extends to any licensed electrician or licensed electrical switchgear worker who has been tasked with supervising an apprentice who is carrying out electrical installation work.

Any battery energy storage systems and their associated battery systems must be installed to comply with the relevant Australian standards.

All electrical work on battery energy storage systems, with the exception of repairing or replacing a single component part, is prescribed electrical work and must be inspected by a licenced electrical inspector.

All cooking appliances with an open electric cooking surface must be provided with a switch that is mounted near the appliance in a visible and readily accessible position. The switch must be capable of turning off the appliance.

The switch should be mounted within 2m of the cooking appliance. The switch must not be mounted on the cooking appliance itself.

The switch or any other switches or power-outlets must not be located on any wall, cupboard or other surfaces within 150mm of the edge of an open cooking surface (gas or electric).

It is the policy of the Electrical Distribution Business to have a property inspected if it has been disconnected from the electricity supply for more than 12 months. This is to ensure that a property is safe to have the power reconnected. This policy is endorsed by Energy Safe.

A licensed electrician will need to be satisfied that the property is safe to have the power reconnected. This could be done by a combination of visual inspection and testing.

The description on the certificate should reflect that the electrician has carried out an inspection and testing and that the electrical installation is safe to reconnect to the electricity supply.

The electrician has eight business days after the work is completed to have that work inspected by a licensed electrical inspector (LEI).

Prescribed electrical installation work must be inspected by an LEI before the electrical installation, or that portion of the electrical installation, is connected to the electricity supply.

If an electrician replaces a main switchboard at a property, power cannot go back onto the new main switchboard until the work has been inspected by the LEI.