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Safety Switches

Safety Switches

Janine Aberle

What does the law say on Safety Switches?

All domestic installations must have as a minimum, one safety switch in the electrical switchboard, also called a RCD (Residual current device). The safety switch detects leakage of current to earth and interrupts the supply to power points.

Of course there can be individual safety switches mounted in power points. The advantage of this is that the res of the installation is not interrupted.

All new homes must have safety switches protecting all power points. Before any electrical requiring can be carried out on a home, a safety switch must be installed. This means that if you have an electrician come to your home/ investment property or rental to do any electrical work, they are required to install a safety switch if one is not installed already.

The laws vary slightly from state to state

South Australia

All new homes must have safety switches protecting power points and lighting circuits… this means older homes might not have one installed … please check and get prices to have one installed.

Queensland

If a home has been sold after 1st September 2002, a licensed electrical contractor can only do installation work if a safety switch is being installed as part of that work or it is an emergency.

All Leased domestic residence must have safety switches in their power points.

When a house is sold without a safety switch, it must be installed within three months.

Safety switches for lighting is not compulsory, but is recommended.

New South Wales

Safety switches are only required in homes built or substantially renovated after 1991.

Victoria

All new builds and homes that have electrical renovations done must have a safety switch installed.

Western Australia

Before it can be sold, a residential property must have at least two safety switches protecting the power and lighting circuits.

All rental properties must also have two safety switches.

Reference: www.build.com.au

So all, especially those living in rental properties in Victoria, NSW and South Australia, if your house is older than 15 years please check to see if any safety switches have been installed. If not then got ot he real estate and request the owner to have one installed, or get a quote as a life is worth more than the cost of a safety switch and a licensed electrician to install it.

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