What it does
The Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld) is Queensland's foundational statute for electrical safety. It establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework that governs who can perform electrical work, what duties apply at every stage of the electrical equipment lifecycle, how industry is governed and monitored, and what happens when things go wrong.
The Act's purpose, stated in section 4, is to eliminate the human cost of death, injury, and property destruction caused by electricity by preventing persons from being killed or injured by electricity and preventing property from being destroyed or damaged by electricity.
Section 5 sets out how that purpose is to be achieved: imposing duties on persons who may affect electrical safety; establishing benchmarks through regulations, ministerial notices, and codes of practice; licensing persons who perform electrical work; protecting consumers against unlicensed electrical work; appointing a Commissioner for Electrical Safety; and establishing the Electrical Safety Board. Every major part of the Act implements one or more of these mechanisms.
The Act applies to all persons in Queensland, including the State and (to the extent legislative power permits) the Commonwealth and other States. Section 3(2) makes the State, Commonwealth, and other States liable for offences, and section 6 carves out mines, petroleum plant, and GHG storage plant from the electrical safety duty provisions (Parts 2, 3, and Part 4 contractor licensing).