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Testing of individual house services whilst in lockdown

  • Testing of individual house services whilst in lockdown

    Posted by Dave Rogan on 23 August 2021 at 3:13 pm

    Hi team,

    we are trying to undertake so urgent works deemed to be public safety issues and have a question around the testing of individual house services whilst in lockdown

    How can we do it when we cant get access to properties

    We are trying to protect our staff and the public

    please share your thoughts with me

    Graeme Johnson replied 3 years, 1 month ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Stephen Small

    Member
    23 August 2021 at 3:40 pm

    Hi Dave

    Is the work truly required now (i.e. is there a significant risk arising from immediate or imminent exposure)?

    We have a protocol (attached) for working on private property, which covers our worker.

    As for the bigger picture, it’s a risk management issue – what is the risk of dying from Covid 19 (better than 99% survival rate), as opposed to what is the risk of the installation remaining electrically unsafe?

    Section 23c of the Electricity Act still applies if you cant contact the installation owner.

    You are still legislatively required to undertake testing at the installation – if they don’t want you at the meter board then isolate at the network fuse and move on!

    feel free to ring if you need me to talk this through

    Cheers

    Stephen 0275558870

  • Graeme Johnson

    Member
    23 August 2021 at 4:24 pm

    Dave

    Our process is very similar to Stephens.
    Thankfully a lot of our meterboards are located outside.

    G

    • Graeme Johnson

      Member
      16 September 2021 at 10:27 am

      Hi all

      Attached is the document and process that Electrix have implemented for this.

      Could you please share your information as we (EEA) are trying to ascertain the general industry position on this so we can approach Worksafe – as per conversations at the last EDI forum.

      We have an obligation under Electricity Safety regs to test but also an obligation to protect workers which creates a conundrum between the requirement to test and HS of our workers.

      TIA

      G

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