COURSE OVERVIEW:
Welcome to the Manage Critical Safety Threats in Electrotechnology Workplaces course. This comprehensive program has been designed to equip you with the knowledge, analytical skills and practical strategies required to recognise, assess and control the most serious risks that arise in electrotechnology environments.
Electrical work is more than installing and maintaining equipment—it underpins the safe and reliable functioning of homes, businesses and critical infrastructure. This course begins by introducing the nature of critical electrical and non-electrical risks in electrotechnology work, outlining the legal WHS duties, licensing and electrical safety regulations that shape how work must be carried out. This opening section clarifies the roles and responsibilities of electricians, apprentices, supervisors and PCBUs, and explains how risk management processes, permits, isolation procedures and safe systems of work integrate to form a robust safety framework for all subsequent activities.
Electrical shock and electrocution are among the most immediate and life-threatening hazards faced by those working in electrotechnology. This section explores how direct contact with live parts, inadequate isolation and verification, and indirect contact through conductive paths can lead to serious injury or death, particularly when damaged cords, portable equipment and faulty appliances are involved. It also examines step and touch potential risks, as well as the incorrect use of test instruments, and demonstrates how disciplined isolation, testing, equipment inspection and verification practices significantly reduce the likelihood of shock events.
Arc flash and arc blast events present a severe but sometimes underestimated threat in electrical switchboards, motor control centres and high-energy distribution equipment. This section examines how short circuits and phase-to-earth faults can produce intense arc energy, leading to severe burns from molten metal, blast pressure injuries, and eye and hearing damage, as well as igniting secondary fires. It highlights the importance of understanding fault energy, selecting and maintaining suitable equipment, applying arc-flash risk assessment, and using arc-rated PPE and work practices to minimise exposure to these catastrophic events.
Electrical fire and explosion hazards can develop rapidly when ignition sources and combustible atmospheres coincide around electrical systems. This section addresses ignition risks in flammable gas, vapour or dust atmospheres, as well as fires arising from overloaded circuits, overheated conductors, and poorly managed battery, inverter and UPS installations. It also explores hidden electrical fires in ceilings, ducts and concealed spaces, and explains the consequences of incorrect equipment selection for hazardous areas, emphasising how design, equipment classification, installation standards and preventive maintenance work together to reduce fire and explosion risk.
Many electrotechnology tasks must be performed at height, introducing a layer of fall risk that interacts with electrical hazards. This section considers working at height on ladders, EWPs, scaffolds and platforms used for electrical installations, as well as tasks conducted on roofs, mezzanines, structures, poles, towers and overhead lines. It explores how falls through ceilings and fragile roofing can occur, and explains how careful planning, correct equipment setup, fall protection systems, rescue planning and competent supervision ensure that electrical work at height is performed safely and in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Slips, trips and falls at ground level are common yet often underestimated contributors to serious injuries in electrotechnology workplaces. This section examines how cables, leads and conduits across walkways, along with tools, packaging and offcuts in work areas, create constant trip hazards around plant and equipment. It also explores how wet, oily and dirty floors, uneven ground, rubble, steps, trenches and poor lighting in plant rooms and access routes increase the likelihood of falls, and outlines practical approaches to housekeeping, layout planning, lighting improvements and temporary covers that systematically reduce these everyday risks.
Manual handling and musculoskeletal strain are significant concerns in electrotechnology due to the physical nature of many tasks and the cumulative impact over a working life. This section explores the risks associated with lifting and carrying heavy electrical equipment, handling long conduits, trays and ladders, and pulling cables through ducts and trays in awkward or constrained spaces. It also considers the strain created by cramped work in ceilings, under floors and inside cabinets, repetitive use of hand tools and testers, and sustained overhead, kneeling and crouching postures, highlighting strategies such as job design, mechanical aids, team lifting and task rotation to protect musculoskeletal health.
Plant, tools and equipment used in electrotechnology work introduce their own set of mechanical and physical hazards. This section examines how cuts and punctures from hand tools, flying particles generated by drilling and cutting, and entanglement with rotating tools and machinery can cause acute injuries during routine tasks. It also considers noise exposure from power tools and nearby plant, vibration from impact tools and hammers, and injuries associated with powered cable pulling equipment, demonstrating how guarding, equipment selection, maintenance, training and PPE combine to manage these risks effectively.
Hazardous substances and materials are frequently encountered in electrical installation, repair and maintenance work, often in confined or poorly ventilated spaces. This section addresses risks associated with solvents and electrical cleaners, resins, adhesives and potting compounds, solder, flux and soldering fumes, and insulating oils and SF₆ in switchgear. It further explores exposure to silica dust and insulation fibres, asbestos in legacy electrical installations, cleaning and maintenance chemicals, and battery electrolyte splashes and burns, emphasising the importance of substance identification, ventilation, exposure control, PPE and safe handling procedures.
Batteries, UPS systems, solar installations and energy storage technologies are becoming increasingly central to modern electrotechnology work, bringing specific and evolving risk profiles. This section explores hazards associated with high DC voltages in battery banks and PV strings, short-circuit and DC arc events, and chemical burns and corrosion from leaking cells. It also considers fire risk in lithium-based storage systems and the manual handling challenges of lifting and positioning batteries and inverters, focusing on system-specific risk assessments, correct installation practices, emergency procedures and adherence to manufacturer and regulatory requirements.
Confined and restricted electrical workspaces present complex combinations of electrical, atmospheric and physical hazards. This section examines work in pits, tunnels, basements and ducts with poor ventilation, where gas and vapour build-up in cable spaces and plant rooms can remain undetected. It also considers the challenges posed by restricted escape routes in emergencies, along with hot, cramped roof spaces and ceiling cavities, and explains how permit-to-work systems, atmospheric testing, mechanical ventilation, rescue planning and close supervision are applied to ensure safe work in these environments.
Overhead and underground electrical services pose serious risks not only to electrical workers but also to others operating plant and conducting civil work nearby. This section examines how overhead lines can be contacted by EWPs, cranes and ladders, and how underground cables may be struck during digging, drilling and excavation activities. It explores induced voltages, transferred potentials, and step and touch potential hazards around substations and earthing systems, highlighting the importance of service locating, exclusion zones, coordination with asset owners, and appropriate work methods and protective measures when working near electrical infrastructure.
Radiation and electromagnetic field exposures are increasingly relevant as electrotechnology work intersects with communications, data and high-current systems. This section explores RF exposure near transmitters and antennas, EMF around high-current equipment and busbars, and laser and infrared risks in fibre and sensor systems. It explains how these exposures are assessed, the limits and standards that apply, and how shielding, distance, time management, work practices and personal protective measures are used to keep exposures within safe levels for both short-term and long-term work.
Environmental, thermal and noise exposures can significantly affect safety performance and decision-making quality in electrotechnology workplaces. This section examines heat stress in roof spaces, plant rooms and outdoor work, as well as the effects of cold, wind and rain on external and construction sites, including their impact on grip, dexterity and concentration. It also explores UV exposure during outdoor electrical work, dehydration when working in PPE in hot conditions, and high noise levels in industrial and construction environments, showing how these factors contribute to communication difficulties, hearing damage risks, fatigue and reduced situational awareness, and how they can be controlled.
Biological and workplace hygiene hazards are frequently encountered where electrical systems interface with building structures, services and external environments. This section considers exposure to rodent droppings and nesting in ceiling spaces and panels, bird droppings on rooftops and plant structures, and mould in damp plant rooms and older buildings. It also explores how insects and vermin in pits, basements and external cabinets can introduce health risks and complicate work, emphasising the role of inspection, cleaning, hygiene controls, PPE and safe work methods in protecting workers from infection and respiratory issues.
Traffic, mobile plant and psychosocial risks often interact with technical hazards to create complex safety challenges for electrotechnology workers. This section examines vehicle and mobile plant interaction on industrial and construction sites, roadside and street lighting work near live traffic, and limited visibility and reversing plant around electrical work zones. It also explores fatigue from long hours, call-outs and shift work, pressure to maintain supply and meet deadlines, working alone in remote, rooftop or after-hours locations, and stress arising from complex faults, breakdowns and client expectations, highlighting how planning, supervision, communication, workload management and organisational support influence both physical safety and mental wellbeing.
By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the knowledge, practical tools and professional judgement needed to identify, analyse and manage critical safety threats across electrotechnology workplaces. You will have a deeper understanding of your legal obligations, the technical and procedural controls available, and the leadership and communication behaviours required to implement safe systems of work. This will enable you to challenge unsafe conditions, design and apply effective controls, and contribute to a strong safety culture in which critical risks are systematically controlled and electrical work is carried out safely, reliably and sustainably.
Each section is complemented with examples to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:
1. Introduction to Safety Threats in Electrotechnology Work Environments
- Nature of critical electrical and non-electrical risks in electrotechnology work
- Legal WHS duties, licensing and electrical safety regulations
- Roles and responsibilities of electricians, apprentices, supervisors and PCBUs
- Risk management, permits, isolation procedures and safe systems of work
2. Electrical Shock and Electrocution
- Direct contact with live parts
- Inadequate isolation and verification
- Indirect contact and conductive paths
- Damaged cords and portable equipment
- Faulty appliances and repair work
- Step and touch potential risks
- Incorrect use of test instruments
3. Arc Flash and Arc Blast
- Arc flash in switchboards and MCCs
- Short circuits and phase-to-earth faults
- Severe burns from arc energy and molten metal
- Blast pressure, eye and hearing injuries
- Fire ignition following arc events
4. Electrical Fire and Explosion Hazards
- Ignition in flammable gas, vapour or dust atmospheres
- Overloaded circuits and overheated conductors
- Battery, inverter and UPS fire risks
- Hidden electrical fires in ceilings and ducts
- Incorrect equipment selection for hazardous areas
5. Working at Height on Electrical Tasks
- Ladder setup, positioning and falls
- EWPs, scaffolds and platforms for installations
- Work on roofs, mezzanines and structures
- Poles, towers and overhead line work
- Falls through ceilings and fragile roofing
6. Slips, Trips and Falls at Ground Level
- Cables, leads and conduits across walkways
- Tools, packaging and offcuts in work areas
- Wet, oily and dirty floors around plant
- Uneven ground, rubble, steps and trenches
- Poor lighting in plant rooms and access routes
7. Manual Handling and Musculoskeletal Strain
- Lifting and carrying heavy electrical equipment
- Handling long conduits, trays and ladders
- Cable pulling through ducts and trays
- Cramped work in ceilings, under floors and inside cabinets
- Repetitive use of hand tools and testers
- Sustained overhead, kneeling and crouching postures
8. Plant, Tools and Equipment Hazards
- Cuts and punctures from hand tools
- Flying particles from drilling and cutting
- Entanglement with rotating tools and machinery
- Noise from power tools and nearby plant
- Vibration from impact tools and hammers
- Injuries from powered cable pulling equipment
9. Hazardous Substances and Materials
- Solvents and electrical cleaners
- Resins, adhesives and potting compounds
- Solder, flux and soldering fumes
- Insulating oils and SF₆ in switchgear
- Silica dust and insulation fibres
- Asbestos in legacy electrical installations
- Cleaning and maintenance chemicals
- Battery electrolyte splashes and burns
10. Batteries, UPS, Solar and Energy Storage Systems
- High DC voltages in battery banks and PV strings
- Short-circuit and DC arc hazards
- Chemical burns and corrosion from leaking cells
- Fire risk in lithium-based storage systems
- Handling and lifting of batteries and inverters
11. Confined and Restricted Electrical Workspaces
- Pits, tunnels, basements and ducts with poor ventilation
- Gas and vapour build-up in cable spaces and plant rooms
- Restricted escape routes in emergencies
- Hot, cramped roof spaces and ceiling cavities
12. Overhead and Underground Electrical Services
- Overhead line contact with EWPs, cranes and ladders
- Striking underground cables during digging and drilling
- Induced voltages and transferred potentials
- Step and touch potential around substations and earthing systems
13. Radiation and Electromagnetic Field Exposures
- RF exposure near transmitters and antennas
- EMF around high-current equipment and busbars
- Laser and infrared risks in fibre and sensor systems
14. Environmental, Thermal and Noise Exposures
- Heat stress in roof spaces, plant rooms and outdoor work
- Cold, wind and rain on external and construction sites
- UV exposure during outdoor electrical work
- Dehydration when working in PPE in hot conditions
- High noise levels in industrial and construction environments
- Communication difficulties and hearing damage risks
15. Biological and Workplace Hygiene Hazards
- Rodent droppings and nesting in ceiling spaces and panels
- Bird droppings on rooftops and plant structures
- Mould in damp plant rooms and older buildings
- Insects and vermin in pits, basements and external cabinets
16. Traffic, Mobile Plant and Psychosocial Risks
- Vehicle and mobile plant interaction on industrial and construction sites
- Roadside and street lighting work near live traffic
- Limited visibility and reversing plant around electrical work zones
- Fatigue from long hours, call-outs and shift work
- Pressure to maintain supply and meet deadlines
- Working alone in remote, rooftop or after-hours locations
- Stress from complex faults, breakdowns and client expectations
COURSE DURATION:
The typical duration of this course is approximately 3-4 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.
COURSE DELIVERY:
Purchase and download course content.
ASSESSMENT:
A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.
CERTIFICATION:
Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.