Electrical fatality (23 October 2019)
Date of incident: 23 October 2019
An electrician died after being electrocuted while servicing a 3-phase commercial dishwasher at a restaurant in Marrickville, Sydney.
The investigation
- SafeWork NSW inspectors responded to the incident.
- SafeWork NSW commenced an investigation to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident.The investigation
Safety information
The regulation prohibits energised electrical work on electrical installations and appliances, except in specific circumstances.
And electrical work must only be carried out by a licensed electrician, who has the necessary training and experience to undertake the task.
Consider ‘reasonably practicable’ control measures to manage the risks of working with electrical wiring, including:
- checking equipment for damaged covers and cords, exposed wires, faulty power switches and circuit breakers, scorch marks and burning smells
- locating all sources of electricity to the equipment and property, including solar and battery storage systems – make sure all systems are isolated
- identifying hazards that may result from isolating the power
- switching off the power and locking the switch (or the meter box itself)
- testing before you touch.