This fact sheet provides guidance on switchboard panel repair work and asbestos safety.

The AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical installations, also known as the wiring rules, defines a repair as ‘the work to restore the electrical installation to a safe and sound working condition after deterioration or damage has occurred’. This type of work is often seen with upgrading kilowatt-hour meters or replacing older semi-enclosed fuses in older homes.

The wiring rules prohibit electrical workers from using semi-enclosed rewireable fuses to replace semi-enclosed rewireable fuses. Electrical workers must replace the fuse with a circuit breaker in such instances.

There are no requirements to upgrade switchboard fuses to circuit breakers if the repair work involves electrical components that are not related to fuse repair work (for example, the replacement of a main switch).