Hearing outcome

The Board noted that supervision of trainees is an important task and one that requires active participation from both the supervisor and the supervisee. The supervisor should assess the task and the abilities of the trainee prior to issuing instructions and should also be checking the quality and compliance of the prescribed electrical work whilst it is being carried out, as well as after its completion. Supervisors should remember that they are accountable for the work of the trainee or of any other person who is working under supervision. It is, for all intents and purposes, their work. The Board has comprehensive supervision guidelines available on its website and all those who undertake supervision should obtain and copy and become familiar with them.

With regard to the failure to obtain an inspection the Board found that the extent of the prescribed electrical work undertaken on a new switchboard took it beyond maintenance or replacement and that an inspection was therefore required. The Board noted that it is in an electrical worker’s best interests to take a cautionary approach to the assessment of whether prescribed electrical work is high risk or not and that if they are in doubt as to whether an inspection is required they should seek advice from an authoritative source.