Working Live Onsite: How To Ensure Safety At All Times

Every electrician knows all too well the dangers of working on or near exposed live parts. Here’s some sound advice, courtesy of Master Electricians Australia.

In many circumstances, the risks associated with undertaking work near exposed live parts are the same as those associated with live electrical work, with permanent serious injuries or death possible in the event of something going wrong. Exposed parts in switchboards, equipment control panels and similar situations need to be treated as live, unless they have been tested and proven otherwise. Across Australia, legislation prohibits working on live electrical equipment, except for very specific circumstances. 

When can live work proceed?

Employers must provide adequate information and training to their workers, so in the course of their work, they are able to identify hazards, assess risks and apply effective controls to ensure safety of themselves and others. The following steps must be followed before any live work commences. 

Live work shall be performed, only if it is not practicable to perform the electrical work any other way. For example:

• It is necessary in the interests of safety, for the work to be performed live, e.g. in the interests of road safety for a set of traffic signals to remain operational. 
• A supply of electricity is necessary to carry out the proposed work, e.g. Conducting a polarity on consumer’s mains. 
• There is no reasonable alternative to performing the work live, e.g. to minimise wide-spread outage to a suburb or city. 

It is not allowable to work live to minimise profit/loss of a business. If any of the above cannot be answered YES, live work shall not proceed. 

Live work checklist

If there is no alternative to working live, the following must be adhered to: 

• A documented risk assessment must be performed prior to work commencing. 
• The electrical work must be performed in accordance with a safe system of work, A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) for the work, must be available at the worksite.
• Consultation with both the person in control of the electrical equipment and the employer must take place, and approval given for work to proceed. 
• All personnel must have an appropriate level of training for the live work they will perform.
• Testing equipment suitable for the work to be done, is provided to the electrical worker. Note: Test equipment must be properly maintained and the person using it competent in its use. 
• PPE suitable for the work that will be undertaken is provided to the electrical worker.
• The isolation point is clearly identified and marked. 
• A work area or zone is clearly identified and marked. There should be no obstructions in and around it and clear access/egress from the area. 
• A safety observer must be always present. This last step can be waived when the work is testing, and a risk assessment clearly shows that there is no high risk whilst conducting that testing. 

Live work tools

Use the right tools, instruments, and equipment for the job. Always check your tools are working properly and are effectively insulated.  

A comprehensive safety system is critical if working on or near live electrical equipment. Your system should include all the resources you need in the field and be readily accessible either physically or electronic.  The benchmark in systems is ME Safety and includes:

• Mobile Field App, including Risk Assessments
• Field, Business, Policy and Office Manuals
• Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) – over 34 currently available
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
• Toolbox talks and safety meetings – including assessments
• 20 Core Electrical Standards incl AS/NZS 3000

Evaluating risks and developing controls will help you to develop safer work practices, protecting your workers and your business.