Responsibilities

New OH&S Regulations Testing Times for Non Compliance

The introduction of new National Occupational Health & Safety regulations relating to electrical safety ensure that all employers (including small businesses) are now fully responsible for the health, safety and welfare of employees and all others in the workplace.

Workcover now specifies that all plugged-in items including computers, monitors, photocopiers, fax machines, desk lamps, radios, heaters, power tools, mobile phone chargers, kettles, refrigerators, extension cords etc must be inspected and tested by a “competent person” on a regular basis.

 

Penalties

Documentation of every inspection and test must be maintained and be available on demand for Workcover inspection. For every business, large and small, these requirements are now mandatory and the penalties for non-compliance are heavy.

In April 2003 an employer was fined $180,000 plus costs after an employee was electrocuted.

Recent figures show, that in one year, Workcover conducted almost 50,000 workplace inspections with $5.4 million worth of fines being issued. In the case of electrical incidents, insurance companies may also refuse to pay full compensation for those companies that ignore these requirements.

 

Download the Regulation Info Sheet.