Safety standards for high voltage and complex electrical installations

Introduction

Owners or operators of high voltage and complex electrical installations have safety and compliance obligations related to electrical work carried out on or near their electrical assets, equipment and installations.

Obligations include:

• safety standards
• supervision of electrical apprentices
• reporting electrical incidents.

Many aspects of these obligations are relevant to all electrical installations, regardless of voltage or generation capacity.

Complex electrical installations

A complex electrical installation is an electrical installation that has a generation capacity equal to or greater than 1000 kVA.

Common examples of complex electrical installations are:

• coal and gas-fired power stations
• natural gas-fired power stations
• wind farms
• solar farms
• biogas power stations
• hydro power stations.

Depending on their generation capacity, the following may also be considered a complex electrical installation:

• battery energy storage systems (BESS)
• co-generation systems
• rotating/dynamic grid stabilisers
• yet-to-be-utilised technology that can generate electricity (for example CO2 storage batteries).

An electric line that is on land that is not owned or leased by the owner or operator of the electric line is also a complex electrical installation.

High voltage installations

A high voltage (HV) installation is:

• an electrical installation, or part thereof, that operates at alternating current (AC) voltage exceeding 1000 volts, or
• a ripple free direct current (DC) voltage exceeding 1500 volts.

Safety standards

The Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019 detail the safety standards for HV and complex electrical installations.

Owners and operators must ensure:

• The electrical installation is safe, and it is maintained and operated safely.
• Any person operating the HV or complex electrical installation has a standard of:
  • qualifications
  • proficiency, and
  • experience that enables that person to safely operate the installation.
• Any person operating or maintaining the HV or complex electrical installation does so in accordance with the owners or operators operating and maintenance procedures, that describe:
  • the methods of operation
  • maintenance
  • earthing
  • isolation
  • energisation, and
  • de-energisation of the HV or complex electrical installation.
• Any person operating or maintaining any part of the HV or complex electrical installation is:
  • trained
  • authorised, and
  • instructed to perform the work on the HV or complex electrical installation in accordance with the owner or operator's operating and maintenance procedures.
• Any person working on or near the installation is trained in accordance with and complies with the provisions of the Code of practice on electrical safety for work on or near high voltage electrical apparatus (the Blue Book).
• An assessment of the owner’s or operator’s compliance with these requirements is carried out every 2 years.

Further guidance

Resources are available to assist owners or operators of HV and complex electrical installations to meet the minimum safety standards and requirements. These include:

• Arc Flash Hazard Management
• Guideline – Arc Flash Hazard Management
• Arc flash self-audit tool
• Management of electrical equipment in hazardous areas at major hazardous facilities (WorkSafe Victoria)
• AS/NZS 4836 - Safe working on or near low-voltage and extra-low voltage electrical installations and equipment (Standards Australia)
• Wind turbines – requirements for installation
• Victorian traction industry electrical safety rules (The Orange Book)
• AS/NZS 3000 Electrical installations (known as the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules)

Owners or operators of complex electrical installations also have a general duty under the Electricity Safety Act 1998. Owners or operators or HV installations are not subject to general duties.

Supervision of electrical apprentices

Apprentices doing electrical installation work (as defined by the Electricity Safety Act 1998) must be supervised by a licensed electrician.

Any person who employs an apprentice must ensure that the apprentice is effectively supervised in accordance with Energy Safe’s requirements for the effective supervision of apprentice electricians.

These requirements do not alter the responsibilities of employers and supervisors under other legislation, for example health and safety laws.

Reporting electrical incidents

There are two types of electrical incidents that must be reported to Energy Safe.

A serious electrical incident means an incident involving electricity which causes or has the potential to cause:

• the death or injury to a person, or
• significant damage to property, or
• a serious risk to public safety.

Energy Safe considers that any incident involving fire originating from any part of the electrical installation or equipment is a serious electrical incident and must be reported. Fire includes any event with evidence of charring, smouldering or melting.

All reports of serious electrical incidents must be:

• reported as soon as practicable by calling 1800 000 922.
• followed up by a written report within 20 business days of the initial report.

A reportable electrical incident means an incident involving electricity in which a person:

• has made accidental contact with any electrical installation, or
• has received an electric shock as the result of direct or indirect contact with any electrical installation.

Reportable electrical incident details must be provided in writing to Energy Safe within 20 business days of any person becoming aware of that incident.

More information is available on our Lodge an incident report page.