Day: March 17, 2014

Safety observers for electrical work (Qld DoJ and AG)

by Paul, posted in Electrical Safety

The requirements for assessing the competence of electrical work safety observers to rescue and resuscitate a person changed on 1 January 2014.

The person acting as a safety observer for electrical work must be competent to implement control measures in an emergency and be competent to rescue and resuscitate the worker who is carrying out the electrical work. As well, they must have been assessed as competent to rescue and resuscitate a person in the past year (previously six months). This also means that if a person undertakes rescue and resuscitation training and is assessed as competent, they can act as a safety observer for one year without further assessment of their competence.

via Safety observers for electrical work – Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

Solar PV systems leakage a danger at heights – Department of Justice and Attorney-General

by Paul, posted in Product Safety

There have been several recent incidents of electric shocks through contact with the metallic panels and frames of some solar PV systems due to electrical leakage. These incidents have also had the potential to cause a fall from height if the roof itself is conductive.

The leakage, caused by the capacitance (ability to store an electrical charge) between the solar panels and dirt and water on the panels or the roof, generally increases when the solar panels are wet.

In some situations the leakage may cause an electrical potential (voltage) on the solar PV frames, the array mounting frames and any conductive materials (e.g. metallic roofing material). While these voltages may not produce a fatal electric shock, in higher risk environments such as working at heights, the reaction to a mild shock may increase the risk of a fall.

via Solar PV systems leakage a danger at heights – Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

Baby bath aids – Product safety bulletin

by Paul, posted in Australian Product Compliance Notes, Product Safety

This bulletin covers the mandatory product safety standard for baby bath aids and the need to properly label these products.

In Australia, between 1997 and 2005, six infants under 13 months drowned while in a baby bath aid.

According to the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, children under two years of age are most vulnerable to drowning or near drowning in the bath. The incidents almost always occur when the competent adult supervising the child leaves the child unattended—even if it is for less than a minute. Children can drown within seconds in very little water.

The mandatory standard aims to protect children from the possibility of drowning by providing a permanent warning alerting the parent or caregiver that a baby should never be left alone in the bath or left in the care of another child.
Baby bath aids – Product safety bulletin.