EnergySafe Magazine Spring 2015, issue 41 | Page 4

04 Editorial From the Director Managing editor Sharon Rainsbury Editor Michelle Robertson Contributors Michelle Robertson Michael Weber Enzo Alfonsetti John Stolk John Murphy Tyler Mason Jason Treseder Sue Sizer Editorial assistant Janice Williams Design Aer Design Authorised by Energy Safe Victoria Building 2, 4 Riverside Quay Southbank, VIC 3006 P 03 9203 9700 E [email protected] Printed by Southern Colour 2 Southpark Cl Keysborough, VIC 3173 Copyright All material appearing in EnergySafe is copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part The last few weeks have seen a horror spate of electrical deaths that could have been avoided if proper precautions were taken. A 21-year-old third-year apprentice died in September while carrying out unsupervised weekend electrical work in the roof of an acquaintance’s house. It appears a fault in the back of a three-pin plug base occurred where a neutral conductor had broken away from the terminal breaking the circuit. The victim was in the process of stripping the live neutral conductor with pliers while simultaneously being in contact with earthed parts of the house when he received the fatal electric shock. This tragedy could have been prevented by isolating and testing before doing any work. It highlights again the importance of never working live. In November an elderly man was electrocuted at Moorabool. The 75-year-old man had been involved in fixing a dam pump on a rural property when other workers found him unconscious and not breathing. He was unable to be revived. This tragedy prompted ESV to issue a new warning to farmers and rural workers about the dangers of working with electrical installations when not qualified to do so and that poorly maintained equipment can kill. ESV can’t emphasise enough that electrical equipment and installations should be properly maintained and checked regularly by licensed professionals. We are constantly reminding people to never ignore minor electric shocks or tingles because, in some circumstances, they can be fatal. Qualified tradespeople are the only ones who can ensure things are safe. Yet another tragic incident occurred in November when a male worker was found )