Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00407:body:0:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00407
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 2818–5641

– MEANING OF KEY TERMS
APPENDIX B – ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES  OF NON-PORTABLE AND PORTABLE RCDS
APPENDIX C – RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRICAL WORK
APPENDIX D – PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS CHECKLIST

FOREWORD
This Code of Practice on how to manage electrical risks in workplaces is an approved code
of practice under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act (the WHS Act).
An approved code of practice is a practical guide to achieving the standards of health, safety
and welfare required under the WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations (the
WHS Regulations).
A code of practice applies to anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstances described
in the code. In most cases, following an approved code of practice would achieve compliance
with the health and safety duties in the WHS Act, in relation to the subject matter of the code.
Like regulations, codes of practice deal with particular issues and do not cover all hazards or risks that may arise. The health and safety duties require duty holders to consider all risks associated with work, not only those for which regulations and codes of practice exist.
Codes of practice are admissible in court proceedings under the WHS Act and Regulations.
Courts may regard a code of practice as evidence of what is known about a hazard, risk or
control and may rely on the code in determining what is reasonably practicable in the circumstances to which the code relates.
Compliance with the WHS Act and Regulations may be achieved by following another method, such as a technical or an industry standard, if it provides an equivalent or higher standard of
work health and safety than the code.
An inspector may refer to an approved code of practice when issuing an improvement or prohibition notice.
This Code of Practice has been developed by Safe Work Australia as a model code of practice under the Council of Australian Governments' Inter-Governmental Agreement for Regulatory
and Operational Reform in Occupational Health and Safety for adoption by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.

Scope and application
This Code provides practical guidance for persons conducting a business or undertaking on managing electrical risks in the workplace. It applies to all workplaces where a person conducting
a business or undertaking:
    * has management or control of electrical equipment, including electrical installations, or
    * carries out electrical work on or near energised electrical equipment, including electrical installations.
This Code also applies to construction and demolition sites, except if a requirement of the Code
is dealt with in AS/NZS 3012:2010 Electrical installations—Construction and demolition sites.
In that case you must comply with AS/NZS 3012:2010. Further information about construction
work can be found in