AUTUmN/WiNTER 2010 ISSUE 20 (PDF) - Energy Safe Victoria

14www.energysafe.vic.gov.auA dispute over the qualityof electrical work resultsin court casesA dispute over the quality of electricalwork carried out resulted in threedefendants – a company and twoindividuals – being prosecuted byESV on a number of chargesHomework Development Pty Ltd, a builder, wascharged with carrying out electrical contractingwork when not registered. The defendantcompany was convicted and fined $5000.An unregistered and unlicensed person – andthe sole director – was charged with two countsof carrying out electrical contracting work whennot registered and three counts of carryingout electrical installation work unlicensed. Thedefendant was fined $1000 without convictionand ordered to pay costs of $1500.An REC was charged with aiding and abetingthe company and the unregistered andunlicensed person to carry out contractingwork when neither were registered, aiding andabeting the other individual defendant to carryout electrical installation work unlicensed andfailing to complete a compliance certificate. Thedefendant was fined $600 without convictionand ordered to pay costs of $1500.The court was told the sole director ofHomework Development Pty Ltd did nothold electrical licenses or registration underthe Electricity Safety Act 1998. He did holda restricted electrical licence between25 June 1979 and 25 June 1984.Similarly, Homework Development Pty Ltddid not hold electrical registration underthe Electricity Safety Act 1998.The other individual defendant is a registeredelectrical contractor and a licensed electricalworker under the Electricity Safety Act 1998.In November 2008 Homework DevelopmentPty Ltd delivered a quotation for works at aNorthcote property which included electricalworks The value of the quotes was $4974.52.The quotes were accepted and the individualdefendants carried out the electrical worksduring November and December 2008. Bothwere observed carrying out electrical works,including running cable and fittings.In January 2009 a contractor working at thepremises cut through the electrical mainscable. The unregistered and unlicensedperson was observed attending the premisesremoving the service fuses from the meter boxand repairing the damage to the cable himself.Further between 3 February and 4 March2009 this same defendant was observedcarrying out work running cables in the loungeand kitchen areas of the property.A dispute developed between the owner ofthe premises and Home development Pty Ltdand its director over the quality of the work.Consequently another electrician was called in.Meanwhile a complaint was made to ESV asthe unregistered and unlicensed person wouldnot give a certificate of electrical safety for thework carried out.Inspection of the premises on 27 March 2009found defects in the electrical work, some ofwhich was unsafe.On the same date the unregistered andunlicensed person produced a documentasserting that he was a “licensed electricalcontractor”.The court was told that there is no suchthing as a “licensed electrical contractor”and it was clear that the intent of thedocument was to mislead the reader intobelieving that he was either a registeredelectrical contractor or a licensed electricalinstallation worker.Further, this same defendant asserted to theowner of the property that his REC numberwas 42104. There is no such registration orlicense number issued by ESV.Power companyplea on wire theftIn April, Tasmania’s Aurora Energyurged members of the public to reportsuspicious activity around power poles,after more than 100 cases of wire theftwere reported over the previous week.System Operations Group Manager MalcolmConway said, “Those involved are placingthemselves in mortal danger and their actionsalso pose an electrical safety risk for peoplein their own homes.’’“We are now aware of more than 100 cases oftheft in the past week around the south-east of theState and in some cases the thief has returned tosteal assets that have been recently replaced.“Our crews have worked through Eastermaking repairs so that power interruptions areminimised. These repairs are vital to ensurehouseholders are safe in their own homes.’’Mr Conway said that Aurora was unableto provide greater detail on the thefts in theinterests of community safety and to discouragecopycat activity.You can’t help bad luck!A Queensland prisoner has apparently used ascience trick in an attempt to escape from hiscell at the Lotus Glen prison, west of Cairns.The 29-year-old inmate, serving a life sentencefor murder, successfully breached the bars ofhis cell window.But the man, who has been in jail for sevenyears, was caught attempting to escape asecond meshed cage.It is understood he corroded his cell bars overseveral months by putting salt water on them andconducting an electric current to them by insertinga one-metre length of wire into a power point andattaching it to the bars with electrical tape.He was caught after a guard saw a light comingfrom the cell and went to check on him.A Corrective Services spokesman said aninvestigation has been launched into how theman breached the bars.The prisoner has been charged with attemptingto escape custody.SolarPanelS250W» CEC Approved» From $2.99/watt» System Design & Installation» Free Energy AssessmentsunlImItED GrEEn EnErGy 0425 576 527