New HSW Handbook Chapter - Electrical safety management

A new Electrical safety management handbook chapter has been posted on the HSW website.

The new Electrical Safety Management chapter of the University of Adelaide’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Handbook sets out specific requirements for electrical safety management previously contained in the HSW handbook chapter, Plant/equipment safety management. The new chapter also incorporates changes to the Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace - Code of Practice 2020.

The new chapter incorporates these changes by requiring:

• all electrical equipment supplied through an electrical socket outlet to be inspected and tested at the required intervals (refer to Appendices B1 and 2 of the chapter)
• the frequency for testing only being able to be varied by the Head of School/Branch based on a documented risk assessment
• Inclusion of the requirement to tag new equipment (noting that Information Technology and Digital Services, Division of University Operations advises that from the 1st February 2021, the University’s computer supplier will test and tag any new to service laptop, desktop or monitor at $5 per device)
• Inclusion of links to information on the requirements where there are (1) Electrical installations – battery systems for use with power conversion equipment and (2) Solar (Photovoltaic) systems (e.g. a unit that converts energy from sunlight into electrical energy).  

The impact for the University is to resume the testing of electrical equipment in lower risk environments such as office, lecture and tutorial room like environments at 5 yearly intervals (unless varied by the Head of School/Branch based on a documented risk assessment).

Further information

Please do not hesitate to contact your Senior HSW Advisor.