Poor electrical safety is the second biggest issue on residential builds according to a year-long Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) construction site audit

Since late 2019 WHSQ have been inspecting one and two-storey residential construction sites and found 20 per cent of all non-compliances were related to electrical safety.

The construction site audits found only an uncontrolled risk of falls when working at heights was more common.

Read more about safety when working at heights

WHSQ’s inspectors found construction sites regularly had:

• untested electrical equipment
• damaged equipment
• equipment with expired test and tags
• non-compliant wiring
• non-compliant distribution boards
• missing pole fillers
• untested RCDs
• missing tie bars

WHSQ is also conducting medium-rise construction sites audits. These include building between three and ten-storeys high.

They will be reviewing all paperwork, including safety management plans as well as a physical inspection of the work environment and onsite activities.

The main issue they have so far found is non-compliant scaffolding, including issues with:

• Damaged components
• Gaps in the scaffolding
• Gaps between the scaffold and the building
• Missing components

It is a requirement for a PCBU to ensure that a competent person inspect scaffold before use and regularly during use to make sure they remain safe for use.