Sydney Industry Electrical Safety Network
Minutes of Meeting – 19 March 2014
Chairperson:
Eris McCarthy
Convenor:
Host:
Venue:
Time:
WorkCover NSW – Daniel Daoud
9.00am
WorkCover NSW - Level 10, Centennial Plaza, Building C, 300 Elizabeth
Street Sydney NSW 2000
David Bowen
Attendees

Michael
BennettWilliams

David
Bowen

A



A

Anthony
Ian
David
Daniel
Asanka
Rick
Ron
Cadden
Charlier
Conyngham
Daoud
De Silva
Duynhoven
Ellison
A
Neil
Glozier
A



Mike
David
Alan
Ajay
James
Keegan
Klemm
Lanka
Bennett-Williams &
Associates
Focused Quality
Systems
Aggreko - APAC
WorleyParsons
IAC Safety Services
NSW WorkCover
Aggreko - APAC
TAFE NSW - Ultimo
Thiess Services
Mark Group
Australia
TAFE NSW - Ultimo
Sydney Airport
IAC Safety Services
Megger



Robert
Owen
Claudio
Lau
Leslie
Lima

Tony
McCammont

Eris
McCarthy



A

A
Gidley
Terry
Cameron
Glenn
Roy
Roger
McCullagh
Mcgovern
McKay
Phillips
Quigley
Sharp

Noel
Smith


Jeff
Lisa
Spratt
Stabelmann
Guests/Visitors:
Allan Edwards - Safe Electrical Technology
Peter Henderson - HIESN Chair
Steve Kuehn – HIESN member
Byron Rich – Newcastle Electrical & Engineering, HIESN member
Lee Enfantie – Hatch, HISEN member
New Members:
Attendees
Apologies:
Sydney Water
NECA
BOC
Mark Group
Australia
Eris McCarthy
Electrical
Electrain
Ausgrid
Lend Lease
Caltex Refinery
DRE - ASPs
Stowe Australia
Australian Elevator
Association
Thiess Services
OneSteel
Six, as above
Page 1 of 6
WELCOME
The Chairman welcomed all attendees to the meeting and thanked the WorkCover for
providing the venue for the inaugural meeting of the Sydney Industries Electrical Safety
Network (SIESN).
We have twenty seven participants including the technical speaker and a delegation of four
members of the HIESN operating out of Newcastle/Hunter. It is pleasing to see a solid
attendance and the diversity of industry represented.
Impromptu well wishes from General Manager - NSW WorkCover
John Watson (WorkCover GM) briefly joined the meeting. He welcomed the SIESN initiative
and wished the network success. John spoke of some recent high profile incidents and of
the change in role of WorkCover that has been in progress for the last ten years. The focus
is on working collaboratively with industries to provide a safer work place.
PRESENTATIONS
Technical presentation
Allan Edwards, Safe Electrical Technology described some of the different earthing systems
and his general preference for IT earthing systems where both the active and neutral are
isolated from ground. A single earth fault does not initiate a system failure or harm, but an
earth fault on the other conductor may cause full fault current to flow. The initial earth fault
can generally be detected by a voltage sensor, which in turn trips a two/four pole RCD.
An RCD is ineffective in detecting the first fault on IT systems and likewise on MEN systems
where a high impedance earth fault may occur (ie pulling less than 30mA). Such an earth
fault will cause the frame voltage to rise and if that is detected, the signal can be used to trip
the RCD. Typically a leakage voltage to frame is set to 43V, which is sufficiently high to
overcome noise issues.
The presentation stimulated considerable discussion. A one page summary is attached.
Presentation from Chair of HIESN
The Chair from the Hunter Industrial Electrical Safety Network (HIESN) welcomed the
initiative to establish a Sydney network and provided a history to HIESN. HIESN started in
July 1997 and have had over 40 organisations throughout that time attend.
Positive outcomes from HIESN have included:
 Open sharing of incidents to help understand what had occurred and to prevent them
occurring in other organisations;
 Discussion on technical and legislative items to develop common understanding and
interpretation. This in turn helps reduce risk of contractors working across multiple
organisations being non-compliant due to different interpretations;
 Development of required training outcomes which have been incorporated into TAFE
training packages;
 Being recognised as an “industry body” to provide input into the review of electrical
Australian/New Zealand Standards (AS/NZS 4836, 1674.2, 6010)
 Assisted WorkCover prepare a response to the Work Health and Safety Regulations.
INCIDENTS
Eris McCarthy Electrical

One of the phases on a 3 phase socket-outlet remained live when switched. Product
was a cheap look-alike import and will not have regulatory approval.
Page 2 of 6
Learning: Buy from reputable wholesalers and only use approved and authentic
electrical components and equipment.
NSW WorkCover

Audio technician was working on a home using a metallic cable snake (coat hanger) to
snag an audio cable. He contacted a damaged cable with the conductors exposed
resulting in an electric shock.
Learning: Existing electrical wiring can deteriorate due to age or damage from rodents
etc. Always use insulated hooks.
Aggreko – APAC

Temporary 1000kVA supply to a substation was installed. During pre-energisation
checks it was found that the white phase was bolted to earth.
Learning: Inspect and test as per AS3000 before energising.
Sydney Water - Thiess Services

Issues with high voltage equipment installed in the late 1970s not isolating all phases
and it was only identified when the plant reported fluctuating/irregular voltages.
Learning: Test for isolation before applying earthing leads and work.
Consider preventative maintenance regime.

Labelling error on two control panels in a pump station resulted in the incorrect
equipment being isolated. This was identified during the isolation verification process
(Test Before You Touch) and the site has been corrected.
Learning: Labelling and schematics should be confirmed and marked up to as installed.
“Test before you touch” is critical to electrical safety.
BOC

A fire in an electrical distribution board resulted in significant plant disruption. A 415V
withdrawable ACB was found to have had damaged contact fingers, causing a hot spot.
Bennett-Williams & Associates

In an installation, the MEN point was installed on the supply transformer. The generator
connection point had 4 pole isolators. When a temporary 2.5 MVA generator was
brought to site, the neutral to earth was no longer connected resulting in a floating
system. An electric shock was received by someone working in the installation.
Learning: This fault should have been identified during AS3000 verification.
Mark Group Australia

Numerous discussions on solar installation issues.

Failure of NHP CB on solar installation.
Learning: Now using DC Isolator
Can be an issue with polarisation of the breaker.
Eris McCarthy Electrical

Five cables in conduit from PV panels causing overheating/fire
Learning: Conductors need to be de-rated.
Megger

The need for an external earth on HV testing equipment is not well understood. It results
in the tester receiving an electric shock when disconnecting leads.
Page 3 of 6

Testing capability is an important issue for safety. Test equipment should be checked for
operation during testing and calibration frequencies considered. Typically we have 3-6
months in mining and in Queensland there is a general requirement for 12 monthly
calibration. There was reference to AS/NZS3760, but no clear conclusion was drawn.
Noted that much testing eg testing for energised, does not generally rely on precision.
NECA

Asbestos clean-up costs are not generally covered by public liability insurance. This can
become an issue when material is inadvertently disturbed.
Hatch

Safety initiatives and safety culture in Australia are influencing safe work practices when
our people are working overseas.
Newcastle Electrical & Engineering

An issue where a building was erected within 1 metre of an existing 750kVA transformer
without appropriate fire protection for potentially flammable building materials. Under
AS2067:2008 (and previous) the clearance should be 6 metres. It will likely be
necessary to either move the building or use fire resistant enclosures / barriers to provide
protection from fire arising from the substation.
Noted that this fire hazard scenario of HV is not foreshadowed in the BCA.
Ausgrid

Illegal and unlicensed modifications to the domestic wiring led to two electric shocks at
the one house. One issue was a member of the public wiring a light circuit. The other
was a range hood unit being pushed up into the ceiling and severing a cable.
Learning: Always a need to improve consumer / public awareness: turn power off when
accessing the ceiling space because of exposed wiring and possible damage. Use
qualified personnel.

Minor electric shock during testing with test lamp when a second person (apprentice)
was asked to assist. The apprentice touched the flying lead probe whilst trying to make
effective contact with a water pipe. The current from a test lamp could typically be
100mA.
Learning: The ICAM identified that the test leads were changed in procurement and not
preferred, and the testing procedure when two people were required was not clear.
OneSteel

Recent review of electrical incidents indicated that 85% were not associated with
electrical workers (ie other trades and operators)
Noted that Ben Jones (OneSteel Hunter) has info on light switches and welding for nonelectrical personnel.
GENERAL BUSINESS
General observations on electrical compliance testing and verification was discussed

A common observation in the electrical industry is that the testing of installations is one
of the weaker skills in electricians. The inability for apprentices to perform testing until
late in the apprenticeship was one contributing item discussed.
Noted that Electrain have developed online training for AS3000 testing and IAC Safety
Services have practical testing facilities.
Another weakness discussed was the lack of understanding of fault loop impedance.
Page 4 of 6
Peter Henderson advised of suitable presenter on testing and faultfinding from Henk
VanVelze at Fluke, to be contacted.

Owen Leslie mentioned the initiative by the UK Safety Council for Best Practice
inspections of properties: UK Safety Council website - Reference not found.
This is likely to be similar to AS3019:2007 Electrical installations—Periodic verification.
AS3019 recommends inspections frequency of commercial properties each 4 years and
residential 10 years and would also seem appropriate prior to property sale. It has three
levels of detail starting at visual and ending with full AS3000 verifications, subject to
findings.
SIESN website
Gidley McCullagh offered to initiate development of SIESN.com.au website.
Plan is to build a record of meetings, presentations and electrical alerts.
Steve Kuehn advised that The Electrical Product Recalls on
http://www.recalls.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/952814 go back till 1998 inclusive.
2014 MEETING SCHEDULE
Date
Venue
Location
19 March 2014
NSW WorkCover
Level 10, Centennial Plaza, Building C
300 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000
14 May
IAC Safety Services
Unit 1 39 – 41 Fourth Avenue Blacktown; or
Unit 7 18 Third Avenue Blacktown - TBA
9 July
Sydney Water
20 William Holmes Drive, Potts Hill
10 September
12 November
Proposed future agenda items / Guest Speakers
Subject
Initiator
Guest Speaker
Schedule
Status
Earth integrity –
mitigating the risk
DB
Allan Edwards
19 March 2014
Complete
Arc Flash hazard
review
DB
Brett Cleaves
14 May 2014
Scheduled
ARC Flash testing of
PPE
DB
Darren Jenkins
9 July 2014
Scheduled
Electrical hazards in
arc welding
BR
Testing and
Faultfinding
PH
(Ausgrid)
Byron Rich
(Newcastle Electrical &
Engineering)
Henk VanVelze
(Fluke Australia)
Meeting Closed at 12.00 noon.
Page 5 of 6
Photos of inaugural SIESN meeting, 19 March 2014
Peter Henderson presentation on HIESN achievements
John Watson well-wishers for SIESN from NSW WorkCover
Page 6 of 6