Plumbers assessed customers’ switchboards without an electrical licence Magistrate notes offensive conduct, sales tactics and vulnerable victims Pair employed by a large Perth plumbing, gas and electrical company The “scam” conduct of two licensed plumbers who provided unqualified electrical advice was “morally offensive” as it involved vulnerable victims and sales tactics, according to a Perth...

Switchboard verification requirements Clause 2.10.3.2 of AS/NZS 3000:2018 (Wiring Rules) requires that all switchboards rated at 125 A per phase or greater or subject to a 10 kA fault potential or greater must comply with either AS/NZS 3439 series (now superseded) or the AS/NZS 61439:2016 series. When preparing tender submissions for electrical installations, licensed electrical contractors are...

Failed to comply with Building Commissioner’s order to rectify floor and windows Guilty pleas from company and director after Building and Energy investigation Gran Designs WA is no longer trading Failure to comply with a Building Commissioner’s order to fix a Stoneville modular home has cost a building company and its director almost $7,000 in fines and costs. Following a prosecution by Building...

DC isolators are classified as Level 3 electrical equipment and must be certified and registered under the national Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS). As of the 29 September 2021, SAA Approvals has cancelled the certifications of certain DC isolators (list below). The registrations of these isolators were also cancelled from that date. Suppliers must not supply or offer for sale these...

$136,500 building project carried out without the required registration or permit Building Services Board issued $2,500 fine for registration breach and negligence Home owners encouraged to check registration and permits before work starts Home owners are urged to check their builder’s registration and any permits before building work begins after a Cloverdale couple had to seek retrospective...

Risk of electric shock from unprotected live parts of some stage lights Prohibition notices and recalls now in place in WA and Victoria Products include AVE tri-flat RGB LED PAR; AVE PAR 64; CR Lite Slim PAR 56 LED A range of portable theatre lights sold in WA have been recalled after the State’s electrical safety regulator found they could put users at risk of electric shock. Building and Energy...

10-month-old made contact with live parts of a damaged power supply Parents urged to regularly check condition and location of electrical items RCDs do not protect against all electrical faults WA’s Director of Energy Safety is reminding parents to check the condition and location of electrical equipment at their homes after a baby was lucky to escape with only finger burns when he touched live...

Poor oversight and defects at homes in Two Rocks and Mindarie Building Services Board finds the company breached building registration laws Petra Dwelling is no longer a registered building contractor Lack of management and supervision of construction projects in Two Rocks and Mindarie has led to a $5,000 fine for a former registered building company. The Building Services Board found that Petra...

The Building Services Board has fined a Midland builder $5,000 after he allowed a business to include his registration details on contracts for projects that he was not involved with. At its July meeting, the Board found that Nermin Nezic – who is a registered building practitioner (BP101766) and a registered building contractor (BC101476) – engaged in misleading conduct under WA’s building...

Building and Energy campaign targets carbon monoxide hazards in the home Gas heaters should be regularly serviced by a licensed gas fitter Ensure adequate ventilation and awareness of carbon monoxide symptoms A new campaign is urging Western Australians to stay safe and warm this winter by having their gas heaters serviced and being aware of carbon monoxide risks. The campaign, by the State’s gas...

Two separate incidents in WA resulted in serious leg burns Loose lithium-ion batteries can ignite if they touch coins or keys Safety warning for users of vapes and other portable devices WARNING: Images of burn injuries below. A Perth man has described the horrifying moment that a lithium-ion battery caught fire in his pocket with an “intense white light and heat”, causing agonising burns that...

The Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Bill 2021 has today passed through Parliament The Bill will improve security of payment across the WA building and construction industry An additional $6.9 million allocated for implementation, training and compliance The McGowan Government's Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Bill 2021 has today passed State...