Product Overview

Summary: This Electrical Safety Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, practical framework for working safely with electrical systems, plant and equipment in Australian workplaces. It supports compliance with WHS legislation while reducing the risk of electric shock, arc flash, fire and equipment damage across your operations.

Electrical work is one of the highest-risk activities in any workplace, whether you are maintaining plant, running a construction site, managing a commercial building, or operating a laboratory. This Electrical Safety Safe Operating Procedure sets out a structured, step-by-step method for planning, authorising and carrying out electrical tasks safely, from basic testing and tagging through to isolation, lockout and verification of de-energised circuits. It translates complex legislative and Australian Standard requirements into clear, usable instructions that frontline workers and supervisors can follow with confidence.

Developed for the Australian WHS environment, this SOP helps businesses demonstrate that they have taken reasonably practicable steps to manage electrical risks, as required under WHS Acts and Regulations. It addresses common problem areas such as ad‑hoc isolation practices, inconsistent use of test instruments, unsafe use of extension leads and portable RCDs, and poor communication between electrical workers and other trades. By implementing this procedure, organisations can standardise electrical safety practices across multiple sites, improve contractor control, and provide a defensible framework in the event of an incident, audit or regulator inspection.

The document is designed to integrate with your existing WHS management system, including risk assessments, permits to work, lockout/tagout procedures and emergency response plans. It supports better training outcomes by clearly defining roles, responsibilities, pre-start checks, safe work methods and escalation points when conditions change or faults are identified.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of electric shock, arc flash and electrical fires through clear, consistent work methods.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and relevant electrical safety standards and codes of practice.
• Standardise isolation, lockout and testing procedures across all sites, shifts and contractors.
• Improve competency and confidence of workers by providing clear guidance on pre-use checks, PPE and safe operating limits.
• Minimise downtime and costly equipment damage by embedding robust inspection, fault reporting and maintenance practices.

Who is this for?

• Electricians
• Electrical Supervisors
• Maintenance Technicians
• Facilities Managers
• WHS Managers
• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• Plant and Operations Managers
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Lab Managers and Technical Officers

Hazards Addressed

• Electric shock from exposed live parts, faulty equipment or incorrect testing procedures
• Arc flash and arc blast during switching, fault conditions or incorrect isolation
• Electrical burns from contact with energised conductors or arcing
• Electrical fire due to overloading, damaged cables, poor connections or inadequate protection devices
• Explosion risks in hazardous areas where electrical equipment may ignite flammable atmospheres
• Trip and fall hazards from poorly routed leads, cords and temporary power setups
• Secondary injuries (falls from ladders or platforms) resulting from electric shock
• Equipment damage and plant failure from incorrect voltage selection, earthing issues or improper lockout
• Exposure to hazardous energy during maintenance due to ineffective isolation and verification

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 References, Legislation and Standards
• 3.0 Definitions and Terminology (including ‘competent person’ and ‘live work’)
• 4.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Officers, Supervisors, Electricians, Workers, Contractors)
• 5.0 Competency, Licensing and Authorisation Requirements
• 6.0 Hazard Identification and Electrical Risk Assessment
• 7.0 Pre-Work Planning and Permit-to-Work Requirements
• 8.0 Isolation, Lockout and Tagout (LOTO) Procedures
• 9.0 Verification of De-energised Circuits and Test Equipment Use
• 10.0 Safe Work Methods for Low-Voltage Electrical Tasks
• 11.0 Requirements for High-Risk and Prohibited Live Work
• 12.0 Use, Inspection and Maintenance of Electrical Tools and Equipment
• 13.0 Portable Electrical Equipment, Leads, RCDs and Temporary Power
• 14.0 Work in Confined Spaces, at Heights and Hazardous Areas (Electrical Considerations)
• 15.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Electrical Work
• 16.0 Housekeeping, Cable Management and Site Control
• 17.0 Incident Reporting, Fault Isolation and Equipment Tagging Out of Service
• 18.0 Emergency Response Procedures (Electric Shock, Arc Flash, Fire)
• 19.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 20.0 Monitoring, Audit and Review of Electrical Safety Performance
• 21.0 Document Control and Recordkeeping

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act (applicable state or territory)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation (applicable state or territory) – Electrical safety provisions
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace
• AS/NZS 3000: Electrical installations (Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules)
• AS/NZS 3012: Electrical installations – Construction and demolition sites
• AS/NZS 3760: In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment
• AS/NZS 4836: Safe working on or near low-voltage electrical installations and equipment
• AS/NZS 60898 and AS/NZS 61009 series – Circuit-breakers and residual current devices (RCDs)
• AS/NZS 1891 series: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices (for work at height around electrical installations)
• AS/NZS 4501 and AS/NZS 2161 series: Occupational protective clothing and gloves (for electrical work PPE)