What is the electricity and gas high-risk database?
Essential information for all electrical practitioners on how to use and access the data base which provides key mandatory information about where work classified as high-risk was carried out, who certified and inspected this work.
- Certification
What is the Electricity and Gas High-risk Database?
The Electricity and Gas High-risk Database holds records of gas and electrical work that has been classified as high-risk. This database was created on 1 July 2013 and is administered by Energy Safety, a division of WorkSafe.
The database provides public access to key mandatory information about where work classified as high-risk prescribed electrical work including the location of the work was carried out and who certified it and who and inspected this work. It also supports assists regulators to focus resources on the areas that have the potential for the greatest improvement in safety outcomes and, assist with Energy Safety’s auditing of completed work and the monitoring electrical workers professional competency and safety.
Electrical worker's and inspector's responsibilities
An electrical worker that has carried out high-risk Prescribed Electrical Work (PEW) must ensure the work is independently inspected by an electrical inspector. High-risk PEW is defined in regulation 6A of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 and includes mains work, solar -photovoltaics and PEW for use with electrical medical devises.
Find out if your electrical work is high risk and in need of an inspection
To find out if your electrical work is high risk and in need of an inspection go to this topic in the EWRB Toolbox
Electrical inspectors are responsible for entering specific details of high-risk PEW they have independently inspected into the database within 20 days of issuing the record of inspection (RoI).The information that is entered is based on key details contained in the Certificate of Compliance (CoC) issued by the electrical worker that is having their work inspected.
Certification must be valid
CoCs, RoIs and Electrical Safety Certificates (ESCs) are important legal documents that provide assurance to electrical workers, consumers, regulators, insurance companies and local body authorities of the safety and compliance of the work.
It is therefore critical that certification is completed correctly and that the boxes are not simply ticked. Both inspectors and those connecting PEW must check and satisfy themselves of the validity of this certification. If those documents are not accurate, incomplete or do not provide supporting documents when they indicate that they do, then they are not valid.
Where, for example, a non-valid CoC has been issued by an electrical worker, it should not be accepted or used by the inspector for the completion of an RoI. If it is accepted this means the inspector’s RoI is also invalid.
To ensure certification is valid
To ensure certification is valid and to access templates for RoI and CoC forms go to this topic in the EWRB Toolbox
Accessing the database
General access available to all persons
The database is free to search and there are no login requirements. The high risk database records can be used by the consumer or client (including the electrical worker that has had the high risk work inspected) to check what previous or recent high-risk PEW has been carried out and inspected at an installation.
Searching and accessing records in the database simply requires typing the relevant address into the address search on the database homepage(external link).
How do electrical inspectors register to use the database?
Access to enter information requires a RealMe login by a person registered and licenced as an electrical inspector.
For those inspectors who do not have a RealMe login, this can be done as part of the database registration process and the database homepage(external link) will have a link to create this logon.
For those who already have an existing RealMe login, you can use it to register and access the database.
Once you have a RealMe login and have registered to use the database, you can enter the details of anyone you wish to delegate to enter information on high-risk installation work on your behalf. Delegates will require their own RealMe login to access the database.
Where can I find out more?
If further assistance with registering, accessing and entering information is required, there are several tools available to help:
A “How to” User Guide to the Electricity and Gas High-risk Database(external link) will be available for viewing online or downloading, on the database homepage.
Call Energy Safety’s Business Service Centre (Freephone 0800 030 040) between 8.30am-5.00pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays).