Code of Practice for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations - 2009 Edition

Appendix 15
Safety for Live Work
(A) Conditions and Safety Precautions for Live Work
1. Live work should not be performed unless:
(i) it is necessary in the interests of safety, whether or not electrical
safety, for the work to be performed while the electrical equipment
is energised (e.g. work on hospital equipment); or
(ii) a supply of electricity is essential for the proper performance of the
electrical measurement (e.g. testing and fault finding); or
(iii) there is no reasonable alternative to perform the electrical work by
live work (e.g. widespread outages of a building would occur if live
work is not allowed); or
(iv) it is justified and approved by the registered electrical worker,
registered electrical contractor and owner of the installation (e.g.
serious public inconvenience would arise from isolating the circuits).
2. Where live work is unavoidable, adequate precautions should be taken to
avoid danger for work involving the handling of energised parts or
working within touchable distance, direct or indirect, of energised parts
at low voltage. The following precautions are to be taken:
(i) work on energised low voltage electrical equipment should be done
only by registered electrical workers who are by virtue of knowledge
and training competent to be allowed to carry out live work;
(ii) prior risk assessment should be carried out by the registered
electrical contractor, registered electrical worker or a registered
safety officer on the performance of the live work (sample provided);
(iii) personal protective equipment (including insulating gloves, safety
shoes and insulating mat) and testing equipment appropriate to the
performance of the live work should be properly used by the person
performing the electrical work;
(iv) screen or other means to avoid danger from inadvertent contact
with energised conductors should be provided;
(v) fixing of warning notices for repair, barriers and screens;
(vi) the duration and the extent of the live work should be minimized as
far as practicable; and
(vii) the isolation point of the electricity supply for the subject electrical
equipment has been clearly identified.
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