ECA WA's Response to Western Power's New Rules for Contractor Connect and Service Accreditation Connection Schemes

ECA WA recently circulated new rules that Western Power has announced to the Contractor Connect and the Service Accreditation Connection schemes.

The key points of these changes were:

1. Connections would require a safety observer who was also a licensed electrical worker.

2. Participants would have to undergo annual Service Connection accreditation training.

3. Participants would be required to undertake training in installation and maintenance of low voltage underground services.

ECA WA is generally supportive of these changes but strongly disagrees with the requirement that safety observers must be licensed electrical workers.

ECA WA believes this role is a safety role, not a technical role, and can be performed by a non-electrician who is appropriately trained in CPR and LVR, or if required, by an electrical apprentice.

ECA WA also suggests that Western Power complete its current review of the CCS/SACs scheme before implementing these proposed to the schemes.

ECA WA’s correspondence to Western Power on this matter can be found here.