Managing Risk on Site

Electrical risk gets eliminated as far as is practicable. The common controls:

• Use safe, suitable equipment. Don’t use leads and tools in damp or wet conditions unless they’re specifically designed for it.
• Inspect leads for damage before use. Remove damaged ones from the workplace.
• Make sure power circuits are protected by an appropriately rated fuse or circuit breaker to prevent overloading.
• Use RCDs (residual current devices, also called safety switches) to protect workers using portable equipment, as required by WHS regulations.
• All equipment and leads need an earthing and grounding pin before being installed in the property.

Australian specifics

Australian outlets are rated 10 amps with a 3-pin earthed connection, running at 240V AC, 50 Hz. AS/NZS 3112:2000 and AS/NZS 3112:2004 define the insulation requirements for the active and neutral pins on Australian mains plugs.