A Perth electrician and his company have been ordered to pay more than $24,000 in fines and costs for testing and notification offences after a switchboard in Beechboro was left unprotected from electrical hazards.
Scott Buchanan (EW168374) and licensed electrical contractor Buchanan Electrical Holdings Pty Ltd (EC12581) entered written guilty pleas at Midland Magistrates Court for two matters under WA’s electrical licensing regulations.
At sentencing on 13 September 2024, the court was told Mr Buchanan installed an upgraded switchboard at the Beechboro house in October 2022. A month later, a Western Power inspection revealed the main switchboard’s metallic enclosure had not been bonded to earth, meaning it could become live with dangerous voltages if a fault occurred.
The court heard Mr Buchanan breached the regulations by not carrying out compulsory tests of the earthing system, which would have detected the hazard. The company also committed an offence by submitting a notice of completion that incorrectly declared the electrical work was compliant.
Mr Buchanan and Buchanan Electrical Holdings were fined $8,000 and $15,000 respectively and ordered to pay costs of $527 each.
Magistrate Gregory Benn said he accepted Mr Buchanan made an “honest error” and acknowledged his early guilty pleas, cooperation and improved work practices, but emphasised that non-compliance with the required standards could have “disastrous consequences”.
WA’s Director of Energy Safety, Saj Abdoolakhan, said the case clearly showed why checking and testing of electrical work is mandatory.
“This hazard would have been immediately obvious if tests were carried out, as required by law, instead of placing someone at risk of serious or fatal injury,” Mr Abdoolakhan said.
“It is very lucky the error was detected and rectified. The community rightly expects licensed electrical workers and electrical contractors to deliver safe and compliant work and follow the correct processes every time.”
