The following electrical incidents and prosecutions are but a sample of those occurring across Australia and beyond that we have been made aware of since our last newsletter.
Employers and workers are encouraged to ensure all legal requirements and controls are in place when carrying out work to prevent heartache, loss of production, fines, imprisonment, etc. Our sympathies go out to those that have lost loved ones.
ELECTRICAL INCIDENTS, FIRES AND NEAR MISSES
NSW
Bluescope – Electrical Incidents Key Learnings #25
An electrical worker received a 240V AC shock whilst replacing a faulty relay in a motor control centre. The main switch of the panel was isolated by their supervisor.
Metal ladder touched live 415 volt rails supplying a coke making charge car.
Metal wall sheeting replaced by non-electrical workers where two cables rubbed against shard unprotected edges.
33 kV arced across an insulator causing sparking and loss of supply on an unloaded line.
Two old 415-volt main distribution boards failed catastrophically during normal operations.
Bluescope – Electrical Incidents Key Learning #26
Electric shock to apprentice terminating new light circuit
Shock from 240 volt winch pendeant controller
Extension leads – incorrect use, two electric shocks
Damage to energised cable during construction
Shopck whilst operating grinder
Bluescope – Electrical Incidents Key Learnings #27
Tradesman felt tingling to the hand when they touched the power button on a 240 volt magnetic drill
Lockout switch could be turned on
Electric shock from welding in an adjacent work site
Energised cable cut whilst removing redundant cables
3.3kV VCB Arc Flashover during fault finding resulting in severe burn injury
NSW Mines
An electrician was working on the low voltage side of the cover that encases the 240v terminals. The electrician brushed up against a screw on the terminal cover and received a sensation like brushing a bur – the screw was touching an active.
An underground fire on a production drill resulted in all personnel retreating to refuge chambers. The source of the fire was a fuse box in the operator’s cabin. A 24V fuse box lid was found to be loose and a 10A blade fuse was partially dislodged, causing a hot joint.
Apprentice electrician was working on a 220 kV circuit breaker control panel when he sustained an electric shock from the 240 volt heater that wasn’t isolated.
Fitter received TIG welder shock while holding the earth clamp in one hand and leaning on the work bench.
Mining supervisor cut through a live 11 kV cable using a battery-powered reciprocating saw. The mine experienced a HV earth leakage fault that tripped multiple protection relays throughout the mine. Nobody was injured and there were no visible signs of arcing.
Significant water ingress to the control station that allowed 240 VAC to track from the contacts to the key resulted in an electric shock to the operator.
Worker received an electric shock while operating the on/off switch on a 240V AC AdBlue delivery pump/bowser to fill a loader – pump switch ingress protection membrane was damaged.
Worker sustained an electric shock when his thumb contacted an exposed 240 V circuit via a broken light bezel on a control panel. The worker was operating push-button switches next to the light fittings at the time. The worker was transported to hospital and was cleared of any injury.
Worker suffered an electric shock while undertaking electric arc gouging activities in a workshop. At the time of the activity, water was spraying from airlines in the workshop, and the ground where the worker was gouging was wet.
NSW Other
An electrician, during UPS commissioning, was installing meter probes on uninsulated copper bars inside a switchboard in preparation for testing supply with a power quality meter. While installing meter probes, the electrician came into contact with energised components and sustained a fatal electric shock (page 10).
Electrician received fatal electric shock during UPS commissioning
Sole trader died after ladder fell during TV antennae installation
QLD
Electrical workers had isolated, earthed, locked out, and obtained a High Voltage access permit on a 3.3kV switchboard tier (circuit breaker) to cut and remove a redundant cable. After moving beneath the switchroom to continue the task, the workers incorrectly identified the cable drop box belonging to an adjacent tier. They accessed this drop box and subsequently cut into a live (energised) 3.3kV cable.
Man who cut into a high-voltage electricity line in an alleged attempt to steal copper is in Toowoomba Hospital in critical condition.
RSHQ notices ineffective isolation of generating and mobile plant
Worker received burns as a result of an arc flash incident while working on de-energised high-voltage electrical equipment that was switched.
Worker received an electric shock while conducting a routine task of replacing a communication module within a high-voltage battery cabinet at a petroleum facility.
Worker died after falling from a ladder installing a satellite dish.
SA
Regulation Roundup Issue No.57
73-year-old electrician who was electrocuted while working in a ceiling space in Adelaide (page 9)
Electric shock Incident List (page 11).
VIC
An apprentice received an electric shock whilst isolating the switchboard that connects power to the site amenities.
WA
Eight-kilogram LED light fixture fell from a workshop’s five-metre-high ceiling and narrowly missed hitting a worker. There were no records of either inspections or maintenance since their installation three years earlier.
Crew member received an electric shock to their hand and forearm while washing down a vessel.
Five lightning strikes were reported on haul trucks between 2017 and 2025, with two resulting in tyre explosions. While no serious injuries occurred, these incidents demonstrate the significant risk of injury.
Worker received an electric shock while placing a device on charge inside a battery charging cabinet. The cabinet housed one power board, multiple chargers and several electrical leads, with some leads routed through an internal metal cable duct. Unprotected holes in the steel structure allowed the leads to pass through the metal trunking. Edges of these openings were sharp and lacked mechanical edge protection. Over time, vibration and normal cable movement caused the PVC insulation on the electrical leads to rub against the sharp metal edges.
USA
41 year old electrician with 19 years’ experience died after being pinned between the elevator and first floor platform.
Death of a worker who contacted one phase of a 13.kV power circuit while conducting preventive maintenance in a transformer – final report
PROSECUTIONS
NSW
Company fined $300k after 2022 incident after a cage fell onto 112 kV powerlines
VIC
Company to pay $35k fine and court costs of $8,394 after a person suffered serious injuries from contact with 22kV overhead powerlines.
Greenova Pty Ltd pleaded guilty 8 January to three charges under the Electricity Safety Act 1998 for not complying with electrical installation requirements and failing to have the battery energy storage systems (BESS) assessed by a licensed electrical inspector before connection. The connection caused the battery to catch fire and damage the outside of the house.
Melbourne civil construction company has been convicted and had its fine increased sixfold after appealing a penalty for an electric shock incident where an aluminium pole contacted overhead lines.
WA
Active and neutral load conductors at the meter was transposed causing electric shocks in a Geraldton home – electrician fined $5k.
Contractor fined $20k in Perth for unlicensed electrical work.
Perth renovator fined $3,000 for unlicensed electrical work as part of a laundry renovation.
Perth company was charged with 19 instances of unlicensed electrical work and invoicing, which were representative of 94 other instances where it engaged in the same or similar misconduct.
Unsupervised work at a property in the Perth suburb of Thornlie placed workers and residents at risk and led to a tradesman receiving an electric shock – $30k fine