Electric vehicles

Information for businesses and workers carrying out work on electric vehicles including maintenance, repair, modification, disposal and accident recovery.

The hazards

Electric vehicles (EVs) typically operate at much higher voltages than other battery-powered industrial equipment such as golf carts, forklifts, sweepers and elevating work platforms (EWPs). As such they can create several unique hazards. This is particularly the case with heavy vehicles such as freight trucks, mining equipment and buses which may operate at higher voltages than passenger vehicles.

Find out more about electric vehicle types.

The harms

EVs present several hazards and associated risks for people undertaking work on them. These include:

Hazard	Potential harm
Stored or generated electrical energy	Workers and others may receive an electric shock if they come into contact with components of the electrical system. Even when working on other parts of the vehicle (not involving the electrical system) there may be a risk of shock if the isolation between the electrical system and the vehicle chassis has been compromised. Some EVs also generate electricity when the wheels are rotated. If the EV is moved by pushing the vehicle (such as in a workshop or after an accident), sufficient electrical energy may be produced to cause electric shock or arcing. Arc flash may cause burns directly to the worker or through ignition of other materials.
Battery Electrolyte	Battery electrolyte can cause injury through skin or eye contact, ingestion or inhalation of vapours. This is particularly relevant following collisions or when dismantling vehicles.
Powerful magnets contained within EV components	Some EVs contain powerful magnets. If a person who is wearing a pacemaker or other medical device is close to these parts, the medical device may be affected by the magnets. Such persons shall not perform work on the vehicle.

Mechanics and other workers

Adequate systems should be in place prior to conducting work on electric vehicles to minimise the risk of injury. This applies to motor mechanics and other workers, including:

underbody technicians
panel beaters
spray painters
auto dismantlers
fire & rescue
Installers of aftermarket equipment (e.g. towbars, bullbars, suspension)
tow truck operators
waste and recycling facilities

Must Do's

PCBUs undertaking work on EVs must:

Provide training

Ensure workers are trained in the work procedures and can demonstrate they are competent to perform the task according to the procedure.

There are currently no specific licence classes for workers undertaking work on EVs, but competency may be achieved by supplementing existing knowledge and experience with relevant technical training. This may include:

completing a training course provided through a registered training organisation, or
undertaking product specific training provided by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), or
a combination of both the above.

Develop safe procedures

Develop safe work procedures that:

describe the tasks
identify the hazards and
document how the task is to be performed to minimise the risks.

Relevant procedures will depend on the type of work being undertaken. Examples may include:

defining the type of work that may be undertaken within the repair facility and the designated person/s responsible for undertaking or supervising this work
how to isolate, depower and test the electrical system prior to undertaking work
limiting unauthorised access by displaying signage and / or creating exclusion zones when undertaking work on the electrical system
how to manually move a vehicle within the workshop, such as with the aid of a trolley jack or wheel jacks to prevent rotation of the drive wheels.
emergency procedures in the event of electric shock, arc flash, fire or contact with battery electrolyte.

Provide personal protective equipment (PPE)

Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used to mitigate the risk of electric shock, arc flash and exposure to battery electrolyte. The PPE should be appropriately stored, inspected and replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Appropriate PPE may include:

insulation gloves
protective gloves
arc flash rated clothing
eye protection
face shields and
protective footwear.

Have suitably equipped premises

Ensure the repair facility is suitably equipped to carry out the task. This includes the provision of any necessary OEM information and special service tools such as insulated tools, test equipment and software.

Understand the risks and follow the manufacturer’s instructions

Through safety procedures and worker training, create the environment in which the hazards and associated risks are understood for the type of vehicle that you are working on. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Know your limitations and seek expert advice

Avoid undertaking any work that is not within your level of competency or arrange for the work to be undertaken by a third party. For example; a smash repairer may engage a suitably qualified repairer to perform work on the electrical system, such as; depowering, discharging, inspection and testing.

More information

Vehicle types

Most electric vehicles fall into the following categories:

Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV): a motor vehicle containing an electric propulsion system and a battery unit that can be recharged from an external source of electricity
Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV): a type of vehicle which combines a traditional internal combustion (IC) engine with an electric propulsion system. The battery unit is recharged during operation of the vehicle
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV): this vehicle has the characteristics of a hybrid electric vehicle with the added function of charging the battery unit from an external power source

Australian Standard

Australian Standard AS 5732:2015 Electric vehicle operations – Maintenance and repair
Australian / New Zealand Standard AS/NZS IEC 60903:2020 Live working – Electrical insulating gloves

Training

My Skills – Australian training directory

Safety labels for electric vehicles

All electric, hybrid and hydrogen light vehicles are legally required to have a safety label fixed to the front and rear number plates. Electric, hybrid and hydrogen heavy vehicles manufactured or modified after 1 January 2019 also require the labels.

Find out more about safety labels for electric vehicles.