Prosecution Details

Being the main contractor at a construction site, failed to ensure that electricity had been supplied to the site from a supply authority’s service line or service cable by way of a temporary or permanent connection by the time when work on the site had reached plate height.

The defendant was building a house in Mandurah. When inspected on 10 September 1999 the house was at plate height. Regulation 3.65 required that power be supplied by the time work reached "plate height" or the equivalent.

It was practicable for the defendant to have arranged for power to be supplied to the site. A Western Power consumer connection pillar was located at the front of the site. Power could have been supplied to the site by way of a temporary power pole connected to the consumer pillar. This type of work can be completed either by Western Power, or by several electrical contracting companies who are authorised by Western Power to do this type of work.

The aim of regulation 3.65 was to remove unnecessary hazards for persons working on the building site. When the construction work reaches plate height, power tools such as circular saws, drill etc, are used to fit roof timbers, cladding, guttering etc. In the absence of power on site, portable generators and long extension cords have to be used.

The hazards involved with using portable generators include manual handling risks, storage and use of flammable liquids, trip hazards with respect to extension cords, noise in some cases, and the fact that many older generators are not fitted with safety switches.

His Worship Mr Gething SM heard the case. The defendant pleaded guilty.