Thread: What's the law on pulling apart electrical things in Qld?

My point in a nutshell, These are the rules for persons employed and being paid for services rendered. Until one person finds a law stating that a homeowner in his own premises can not change a wall socket per act XYZ all the pages posted mean nothing, and all the hot air this is bound to stir, is just that.

Originally Posted by Honorary Bloke

All right, mates. Listen up, as I don't want to repeat:

There is no person in OZ that knows everything that is legal or not legal with regard to electrical work. In this I include the licensed sparkkies, the people who wrote the regs, the people who enforce the regs, the people who own a house and would like to do the work, and the people who post on various forums, including me.

I have seen and heard enough about this in the last few years that I can state unequivocally that Ozzie electrical regulations are one of life's mysteries which is beyond the capacity of man to understand. You would sooner get agreement on quantum physics theory than on this subject.

A person with the proper licence can be expected to know the current rules with regard to wiring. Others can be expect to not know them.

For example, I was surprised recently to discover light fittings now must be earthed, and that the house I live in must be rewired because it does not conform to current regulations.

If I were to do some wiring in my own home, that should be illegal as I am not properly qualified, even if I once was, and if I do it badly, it has the capacity to put at risk other residents and future owners and their family and friends.

I'm a computer professional, but I know a bit about teeth. Would you like me to do your next extraction?

Why not?

I would suggest that is incorrect. If you were changing your lighting then you may be required to have them upgraded but new laws superceed old laws so if the job was compliant then then there is no reason or law to state you must upgrade. If there is please post it. As to the dentist, he conducts a service so nust be licenced. It was a bad choice to pick dentistry as my Father in Law pulled out his own teeth and guess what, no tooth police, just a month or so of push and pull. As to doing rewiring thats not the issue, The issue is minor maintainance.

Gentlemen.
To correct all of the incorrect information so far given, it is illegal for an "unqualified person" to work on any "fixed" electrical wiring or any part of any "fixed" electrical installation, in Australia.

Proof of these facts exist here;
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/n...esa2004309.txt

and here;
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/n...hba1989128.txt

To further simplify, one may work on uncomplicated appliances that are "plug in". E.g. a lamp or a toaster. But rest assured that the Australian insurance industry, which is now equivalent to the American insurance industry (you will be sued at the drop of a hat), will make sure that you will pay for the slightest discrepency. Criminal Law will treat you in the same way.

Seriously, if you woodworking blokes have an electrical question, why don't you ask it in the "other" forum? You will get appropriate answers in a timely fashion. This is the link for all of your electrical questions;
http://www.renovateforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=78

Thank you gents. Two of the preceding 4 posts (rrobor gets it) confirm my suspicion and reinforce my earlier statement that no one really knows the blasted things. Or if they do, they are living under Ayers Rock and keeping mum.

One bloke says he must rewire his whole house, which even I know can't be true. And who told him so? I would like to think it wasn't some sparky bidding on the job, but I am too cynical for that.

My friend elkangorito is a sparky himself and a knowledgeable one, but the language he offers us is ambiguous and still leaves us scratching our heads:

What is an "unqualified" person? If that is meant to refer to "unlicensed" persons, why doesn't it say so?

If it is illegal to work on ANY part of ANY fixed electrical installation, how can it be legal to change a light bulb?

If one may work on "uncomplicated" appliances, who decides which one is too "complicated" to work on? Is there a list of complicated and uncomplicated appliances?

And so on. My point being the laws regarding who may work on what are arcane and ambiguous.

Well, the legislation I quoted above applies to "imposing obligations on persons who may affect the electrical safety of others by their acts or omissions;". It is deliberately worded to not be restricted to people at work. It applies equally to people working in their own homes.

elkangorito, the legislation you linked to is NSW legislation, and may well be different to QLD legislation - another example of different laws for the few million people one side of the border from the few million the other side of the border.

Are we having fun yet?

Originally Posted by Honorary Bloke

... You would sooner get agreement on quantum physics theory than on this subject.

Can a Quantum Mechanic legally do Quantum Physics?

People would like you to believe you are breaking the law, you are not.

You are breaking the law (in NSW and the ACT, which is as far as I have looked).

Section 14 (Unqualified electrical wiring work) of the Home Building Act 1989 makes it an offence for a person to carry out electrical wiring work unless the person is authorised to do so under that Act.

but in your own home, you can change fittings etc.

No you can't. You can't maintain any part of an existing wiring installation unless you are a licensed contractor or under the direct supervision of one. Not in NSW, not in the ACT and most likely not in the other States.

You can work on appliances though, there is no law against that. But you have to be licensed to do it for other people.

The challenge is out there. I / show one case where any home owner was charged with changing a wall socket etc anywhere in Australia. Or 2/ One case where there was compulsary entry to a private residence where the meter box had not been tampered with. Oh and the guy installing neons to run on radar signals wont do. Nor will injury investigations, as that applies to everything regardless of the way the injury was caused. If there was a law that states I cant fit a wall socket hardware stores would not sell them to me as that would be aiding and abetting. So please prove your point. But not by sticking codes down as to trade requirements or services rendered. If you can not then all you are doing is blowing hot air to protect your job.

Is it illegal for you to change the batteries in your torch?

If you can not then all you are doing is blowing hot air to protect your job.

I'm not an electrician. I looked into this out of interest a few years ago when I built my place. All I'm doing is quoting to you what the legislation says. If you are too stubborn to accept it, that's your problem, not mine. How about you prove that it's NOT illegal.

For what it's worth, I did speak to an inspector from the Department of Fair Trading about this and he said that there have been cases. I don't know how you would go about finding details of them though.

Put it this way: the legislation says that it's illegal. Whether or not anyone has been caught and fined is immaterial to whether it is illegal or not. Plenty of people get away with jaywalking every day. That does not mean that if a cop wanted to, he could not fine you for it.

The question is straight forward: is it illegal? The answer is also straight forward: yes it is. The legislation says so. Have a read of the following and let us know what you think:

Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act

Regulations under the above

Home Building Act

That should keep you busy for awhile.

Bob: I refer you to an earlier post on another forum.

Sc, A. - only if the batteries are 32volts or more

Is that fair dinkum?