Electrical tests carried out by assembly line staff, not licensed electricians Public at risk if electrical equipment is supplied without expert testing Company pleaded guilty and has changed its testing practices Following the prosecution of a Perth air-conditioning company, Building and Energy is warning WA manufacturers that testing of electrical equipment above a certain voltage must only be...
A new 2021 edition of AS/NZS 1170.2 Structural design actions - Wind actions has been included for adoption in the 2022 edition of the National Construction Code (NCC). The new edition of AS/NZS 1170.2 has many improvements, however it also includes a reduction in design wind speeds for wind Region D.
Wind Region D is unique to Western Australia. It is a 50km...
Notices of completion not provided for gasfitting work at five Perth properties Notices are compulsory for safety, compliance and inspections Mr Mohammadiah was convicted of the same offence in 2012 A Rivervale licensed gas fitter has been fined $3,000 and ordered to pay $500 in costs for not lodging compulsory notices with WA’s energy safety regulator – 10 years after being convicted for the...
Perth tradeswoman contracted for home renovation and painting work without the required registrations Deposits over the legal limit of 6.5 per cent were taken from the home owners Mandatory contract notices were not given to home owners A Perth tradeswoman has been fined a total of $7,400 after pleading guilty to seven offences including contracting for building and painting work without the...
Roof of a two-storey Alkimos home detached during a storm in Easter 2019 Inadequate systems and procedures led to insufficient roof tie-down connections $15,000 fine for company and reprimand for Mr Trager following SAT mediation The State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) has fined Perth builder Ben Trager Homes Pty Ltd $15,000 and reprimanded its nominated supervisor Ben Trager for not properly...
The Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2021 (WA) (the “new Act”) will introduce better payment protections for all participants in the Western Australian building and construction industry. It is one of the most significant legislative changes for the local industry since the 2004 introduction of the Construction Contracts Act 2004 (the “CCA”). In line with the State...
Drainage plumbing inspections. Drainage plumbing inspections are completed while the work is under construction. Most drainage inspections will arise from notifications made by, or on behalf of, the licensed plumbing contractor responsible for the work. To enable drainage plumbing work to be inspected while it is under construction, licensed plumbing contractors are required to notify the...
North Coogee home renovation work carried out without the required registration 50 per cent deposit taken when only 6.5 per cent was allowed Consumers urged to avoid big deposits and check the builder is registered Building and Energy is encouraging consumers to check their builder is registered and to be aware of rules about deposits for home building work, following the regulator’s prosecution...
Product safety recall for various pool gate latches made by Aristo Glass Products The faulty gate latches may not latch properly and pose a drowning risk for children Consumers are reminded that pool safety is an all-year-round issue Building and Energy is alerting consumers about a recall of several faulty latches that may fail to securely shut swimming pool gates, creating a drowning risk for...
Undetected electrical error due to lack of testing step in procedure Voltage rises caused damage to electrical appliances at a Lancelin property Magistrate advised Western Power to speed up its review of procedures Western Power has been fined $45,000 for not providing adequate testing instructions, which would have detected an electrical error that caused almost $600 of damage at a Lancelin...
Under the Gas Standards Act 1972 s.13E(3a), the Director of Energy Safety has adopted standards relating to the approval of Type A and Type B gas appliances. The Western Australian Government Gazette No.45 published on 29 March 2022 details Standards that are to be used as a benchmark for both Type A and Type B gas appliances for the purpose of approval requirements as per s.13D(1) (Type A) and s...
Electric shock risks from Spa Quip 800 and 1200 controllers Flexible socket can allow equipment to be plugged in incorrectly A Perth man died after connecting a pump’s electrical plug upside-down Action by Western Australia’s electrical safety regulator has led to the national recall of hazardous spa components involved in the tragic death of a Perth man. Building and Energy prohibited the sale...
Apprentice failed to connect the main neutral conductor to a new switchboard A resident received an electric shock from an energised shower tap Mr Alliston was fined $5,000 for inadequate supervision of the electrical work A Nedlands family was lucky to avoid serious injury after an electrical work error caused the metal pipes at their home to become energised, with one person receiving an...
Building and Energy is pleased to announce two initiatives to support prospective adjudicators/review adjudicators in gaining registration under the Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2021 (Act): an approved training course to be run by Jackson McDonald and supported by Building and Energy from Monday 23 May 2022; and the waiving of all application and registration fees...
‘Live’ metal objects at four Kingsley homes after wrong cable disconnected Inadequate instructions provided to workers and contractors Guilty plea for failing to ensure that network maintenance was carried out safely Western Power has been fined $30,000 following an error by one of its contractors, which led to a Kingsley man receiving an electric shock and nearby residents being exposed to...
Always turn off the mains power before entering a roof space This is compulsory for all tradespeople including electricians Building and Energy is distributing safety stickers for manholes and switchboards Recent tragic deaths and close calls have prompted a plea from Western Australia’s electrical safety regulator to always switch off the mains power before entering a roof space. Building and...
Almost 50 complaints received about Perth concrete company Joint warning from Building and Energy and Consumer Protection Consumers are urged not to do business with Perth-based concreting company Antique Asset Pty Ltd , which trades as Antique Asset Concrete ( AAC ) with Sergio Demali as the sole director and company secretary. The warning from WA’s building industry regulator, Building and...
Nominated supervisors must provide proper management and supervision Western Australian Construction Pty Ltd (WAC) is now in administration Another WAC nominated supervisor, Salah M.A. Qarout, was cautioned last year A building company supervisor who failed to adequately oversee projects for several months has been penalised $10,000 at the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) following...
Eco Sheds and Homes customers paid $382,000 but most received nothing Two concrete pads the only work carried out and one shed partially supplied Concrete sub-contractor claims to be owed $35,000 Consumer Protection has raised the alarm over a business that supplies and installs sheds and patios after WA consumers claim $347,000 worth of goods and services were not supplied, or work not carried...
Building work commenced without a building permit in place Failed to meet deadlines even after an extension was granted Mr Honeybone is no longer a registered building practitioner or contractor A former builder has been fined $4,000 for starting work without a building permit and missing contractual deadlines at a Bouvard property. The Building Services Board found that Darrell John Honeybone (...
Home indemnity insurance is compulsory for home building work valued at $20,000 or more Confirm the builder has an HII policy for your project before paying deposits HII offers financial protection for incomplete or defective work in certain situations WA’s building regulator is urging home building clients not pay deposits without seeing evidence that the builder has a home indemnity insurance (...
19-year-old apprentice stopped breathing and had no pulse after electric shock Supervisor did not adequately supervise or check the installation as required Electrical company fined a total of $21,500 An apprentice electrician is lucky to be alive after an electric shock left him unresponsive and without a pulse while working at a property in Mandurah. The January 2020 incident was described at...
Electrician did not follow the correct procedure during a kWh meter replacement Three family members at the property received electric shocks from taps Electricians must comply with safety standards to prevent causing harm A Perth-based electrical worker has been fined $2,000 for failing to safely carry out work at a Bedford property where three family members received electric shocks after...
Essential electrical safety component (MEN) not installed, putting users at risk Electrician did not carry out mandatory checks and tests $15,000 fine for company and $5,000 fine for electrical worker The State Government energy safety regulator is warning electricians not to cut corners when checking their work after a Padbury building site was left unprotected against electrical hazards for...