The Northern Territory’s electrical safety laws are changing.

These modernised laws will bring the NT into line with other Australian jurisdictions and make our industry safer.

The laws will be based off Queensland’s Electrical Safety Act. Currently it is expected these new laws will come into effect in November 2023. The NT licencing board will be replaced by an Electrical Safety Board.

Master Electricians Australia has been in consultation with PowerWater Corp, NT WorkSafe, and NT electrical contractors about the new laws to ensure they are in electrical contractors’ interests. With the rules bringing the NT in line with other states, MEA has a range of resources already in place that Master Electricians can access to help them be compliant with the new rules.

What do business and workers need to know?

• All licences issued under the Electrical Workers and Contractors Act 1978 will be valid under the new Electrical Safety Act.
• There are no current plans to change licence classes. Consultation will take place before any licence class or requirements will occur.
• The requirement to complete Certificates of Compliance has been retained, but they will now need to be sent to the Electrical Safety Regulator; and will still need to go to PowerWater if they relate to a connection to the network.
• Interstate licensed electricians will be able to provide electrical services of the kind permitted by their interstate licence in the NT without obtaining a Northern Territory licence.
• The Electrical Safety Regulatory will be able to give directions to rectify defective electrical work, but only if the Regulator considers that:
• • The way the electrical work was performed was not safe from electrical risk; or
  • The person who actually performed the electrical work was negligent or incompetent in performing the work; or
  • The work was performed in a way that causes a person or property to not be safe from electrical risk.
  • These directions can be issued up to five years after work was conducted.
• An Electrical Safety Inspector can issue an improvement notice requiring that a contravention against the Act or Regulations be remedied within a certain period or a likely contravention to be prevented (that is, if there are circumstances that make it likely that a contravention will continue or be repeated).

How will Master Electricians help NT contractors with new rules?

MEA have been engaging with the NT authorities to ensure electrical contractor’s voices are heard on the new laws.

Master Electricians can access a range of safety material and advice to ensure electrical contractors run safe and legal business. The MEA Safety Hotline can help Master Electricians understand their rights and obligations under the laws when they come into effect.

Safety material including Safe Work Method Statement templates, safety data sheets, employer resources, and interactive toolbox and safety meeting tutorials are available for Master Electricians who access the ME Safety system.

MEA will run a series of consultations for feedback on the new laws in early 2023 before the regulations are finalised in July 2023. In late 2023, MEA and WorkSafe NT will hold a series of education sessions before their implementation in November 2023.

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