All electrical accidents that occur in Western Australia must be reported.

The Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 require that all electrical accidents, irrespective of their seriousness, must be immediately reported to:

• the employer (if relevant); and 
• the relevant network operator. If the person making the report cannot identify the network operator, the accident must be reported to the Director of Energy Safety at Building and Energy.

When the accident is reported to the employer, the employer is also required to immediately report it to the relevant network operator (or Building and Energy if the network operator cannot be identified).

The contact telephone numbers for the relevant network operators are:

• Western Power: 13 13 51
• Horizon Power: 13 23 51
• Rio Tinto: 1800 992 777
• BHP Billiton Newman: 1300 632 483 - Option 4
• BHP Billiton Nickel West: 9026 5262
• Indian Ocean Territories Power Service (IOTPS); Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands: 9164 7111

What is an electrical accident?

An electrical accident means an accident:

• that results from a sudden discharge of electricity or that otherwise has, or is likely to have, an electrical origin; and
• that causes, or is likely to cause, danger to life, a shock or injury to a person or loss of or damage to property.

Therefore electrical accidents include electric shocks, electrical injuries, fatalities, incidents that cause danger to life or loss or damage to property (for example damage due to fire or over/under voltage).

Where the Network Operator is not known, electrical accidents can be reported to Building and Energy by telephoning:

Freecall 1800 678 198 (all hours from anywhere in Western Australia)

During business hours, the calls are diverted to Building and Energy's Cannington office (08) 6251 1900.  Outside of business hours, the calls are diverted to an after-hours answering service.  This freecall number only applies to electrical accidents that occur within Western Australia.