Electricity Notifiable Accidents
[ Last Updated 3 May 2010 ]
This is the list of the 3 electricity notifiable accidents for which the investigation was completed between October to December 2009.
1 - Event summary: A passenger received an electric shock from a desk mounted socket outlet in an airport lounge. It appears that the tower mounted socket outlet case top came off allowing the person to access live terminals in the unit. The fixing screws on the device may have been damaged by a an object hitting the unit, such as a brief case.
| Event ID |
090911 02 |
| Event date |
10/09/2009 |
| Site |
Commercial |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Wall Power Point |
| Event |
Electrical Shock |
| Casualty |
Injury |
| Injury |
Shock |
| Property damage level |
No property damage |
| Outcome of investigation |
The tower mounted socket outlet on the desk was damaged at some stage causing the top to break away from the base that exposed live contacts of an on/off switch. The company isolated all socket outlets around the country and sourced a new model of socket that had a more robust body. |
2 - Event summary: A 14 year-old cadet on a leadership training course received a minor electrical shock from a broken plug attached to a vacuum cleaner. The cadet suffered an asthma attack from the shock and received treatment from ambulance personnel.
| Event ID |
091009 02 |
| Event date |
8/10/2009 |
| Site |
Commercial |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Vacuum Cleaners |
| Event |
Electrical Shock |
| Casualty |
Injury |
| Injury |
Shock |
| Property damage level |
No property damage |
| Outcome of investigation |
The Department of Labour was the Lead Agency who investigated this event. They established:
- The broken plug was not part of the original appliance,
- The electrical test tag attached to the body of the vacuum cleaner
was illegible.
Recommendations from this investigation are:
- To further improve the inspection and tagging of electrical
appliances process and program utilised by the organisation
involved,
- To review the cadet induction program, to include topics such as
education on hazards associated with electrical appliances, and
- Increase the level of cadet supervision. |
3 - Event summary: An oil column heater overheated resulting in smoke filled rooms in an apartment.
| Event ID |
091119 01 |
| Event date |
18/11/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Appliances |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
The oil heater plastic cover melted causing damage to a carpet and smoke damage in the flat. The appliance was examined by the supplier and no obvious defect was found. The thermostats were found to be in the open or off position when taken apart. |
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