The following electrical incidents, including electrical fires 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
ETU – one in eight apprentices are being exposed to potentially deadly electric shocks.
NSW Company
- An employee received an electric shock whilst removing a toaster’s lead from a power point from bare spots at the cable entry to the plug. Tested and tagged 3 months earlier.
- Boiler maker shock while no one was welding due to the welding circuit layout.
- Testing de-energised with a damaged meter left worker exposed to a potential electric shock.
- “Test before you touch” on a motor drive circuit, found 240 Volts AC on a wire in the work area. This wire was fed from a fuse that was not included on the isolation permit. An old isolation permit had been used. Testing prevented an incident.
- An electrician received a shock during commissioning checks on a gas-fired torch, when an insulated ignition lead they were touching had a fault and was remotely energised by others at a control station 30m away.
- An electrician was checking for heat on a coating application (PV System) by placing their finger inside a rubber tube that was heated to a maximum of 30 degrees, unaware that the end of a heating cable was inside and missing an insulated end cap. This exposed them to energised 240-Volt AC conductor.
- A miniature circuit breaker lockout device failed when used with a clasp and several locks. The lock out device was secured by a screw that holds onto the plastic arm of the circuit breaker. During the work, either the locks have been moved frequently which has loosened the screw’s grip, or the actions of removing the locks at the end of the work have pulled the lockout device off.
- A bathroom exhaust fan and ceiling tile had dislodged and landed in a shower cubicle. No one was showering at the time.
NSW – a 12 V Milwaukee battery tool was left on a gas-powered generator’s turbo position during a recommissioning run test. The engine was running for about an hour when the tool ignited while still on the machine. Two projectiles were ejected from the engine compartment while the battery tool housing remained positioned on the engine. The projectiles that were positioned outside the compartment, were extinguished. one worker experienced smoke/fume inhalation, resulting in some minor distress and a trip to hospital.
NSW MIne – Electric shock from 11kV ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) insulated cable at an open-cut coal mine in the Hunter region. 2 mA was measured using a 1.25 kohm resistor.
NSW Mine – A worker suffered an electric shock while hosing down a feeder chute in preparation for maintenance work on the chute. The water from the hose contacted an overhead 690 V AC bus bar from a crane hoist.
NSW Mine – An electrician suffered an electric shock while attempting to disconnect tails from a circuit breaker in a distribution board. After testing for dead and removing the terminals, the workers proceeded to remove the tails from inside the drive cell but mistakenly accessed the wrong side of the drive circuit breaker, where live conductors were present.
NSW Mine – After closing 11 kV ABS and proceeding to the associated recloser, an operator heard arcing or crackling sounds, shortly followed by a loud explosion. Protection devices upstream of the fault tripped immediately and an object on fire was seen falling from the pole to the ground. An electrician retrieved a portable fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. An incorrect secondary termination was identified as the cause.
QLD – a worker in an EWP suffered an electric shock and a fire was started when roof guttering contacted an overhead powerlines.
QLD – Nov 25: a 30 year old was electrocuted removing a branch after a storm on a wet road.
SA – the September Regulation Roundup listed 14 electrical incidents at page 12 including electric shocks incidents involving faulty appliances and installations to a faulty neutral connection in the street.
SA – 59 notifications of dangerous workplace incidents involving overhead or underground powerlines, over the last three financial years.
USA – movie set worker was electrocuted when a truck, the worker was operating, contacted overhead mains.
USA – 26 July 2025, an electrician was fatally electrocuted when he contacted one phase of a 13,200-volt three phase power source: MSHA fatality alert.
USA – 26 August 2025, an electrician died while performing elevator testing. The elevator descended and struck the electrician on the first-floor elevator platform. MSHA fatality alert.
VIC – 17-year-old apprentice suffered horrific burns when his clothes caught fire while welding. The metal fabrication company was fined $30k.
VIC – Aug 2025: A steel fixer was using an electric hammer drill to drill into concrete for reinforcing bars to be inserted. Ground water had leaked into nearby tension cables and an electric shock was received by the drill operator.
VIC – Sept 2025: lifting chains contacted 22 kV lines – 3 people holding the chains received electric shocks.
WA – Workers using a grinder to remove a redundant conveyor inadvertently cut into a live electrical cable after they incorrectly assumed that all nearby cables had been de-energised. The electrical supervisor had confirmed to the workers that the conveyor motor was redundant, and its electrical cables were safe to cut. However, the workers mistakenly thought that other nearby cables were also redundant and de-energised.
PROSECUTIONS, INQUESTS AND DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS
NSW: Sept 2025 – An electrical company has been fined $300k and ordered to fund the cost of an animated educational video following the electrocution of an electrical apprentice in a roof space in February 2022.
QLD: June 2025 – Incorrect isolation and failing to test de-energised: 3rd yr apprentice received an electric shock. Electrical worker fined $400, and the electrical contractor fined $800 plus an infringement notice totaling $3,600.
QLD: June 2025 -an electrical worker at an education training facility failed to correctly identify circuit connections and failed to ensure de-energisation that resulted in an apprentice receiving an electric shock. The electrical worker was fined $400 plus an infringement notice totaling $600.
QLD – Electrical Licensing Committee took disciplinary action against six licence holders in August 2025
QLD – Electrical Licensing Committee took disciplinary action against 11 licence holders in October 2025
QLD – Electrical Licensing Committee took action against one licence holder in November and four in December 2025.
SA – a homeowner and an occupier were prosecuted at two different residences for not ensuring safe electrical installations.
SA – a Public Warning Statement was issued to an electrical contractor for unsafe, non-compliant, solar and battery installation.
SA – a solar installation resulted in an electrical contractor and workers being disqualified until further notice.
SA – a solar installer convicted and fined $3,500 for false and misleading small-scale renewable energy documents related to 62 installations.
SA – a demolition company was convicted and fined $140k after its excavator hit and brought down an LV overhead powerline. Two neighbouring properties were damaged, and 84 properties were disrupted for six hours.
VIC – a solar installer was initially fined $8k and ordered to pay court costs of $3,204 for failing to provide fall prevention where there was a risk of falling greater than two metres. However, an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions saw the fine increase to $27,500.
VIC – an electrical company was fined $30k and ordered to pay costs of $4,877 for failing to control the risk of a fall from height from an EWP and ensuring that there was safe access and egress between the roof and the EWP.
WA – a Perth electrical company and an electrician have been fined a total of $22,500 after a reverse polarity caused a tradesman to receive an electric shock.
WA – an electrical contractor and an electrician have been fined a total of $14k after a switchboard was not earthed but paperwork was submitted.
WA – a Perth electrician has been fined $42k for wiring and notification offences after a residential switchboard in Floreat was left unearthed.