How legal are Electronics Techs?

I'm working in Queensland as an electronics technician at the moment, what legal standing do I have when working on mains powered equipment these days?. Can I work on low voltage side circuitry so long as I leave the mains area untouched?, or does has that been outlawed completely unless I become an apprentice electrician?. I understand the local TAFE no longer teaches restricted electrical courses, which is only good for wiring mains plugs anyway.

Reply to
Mark Harriss
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you can work on elv , anything more including the power supply repair you need the correct paperwork .

I expect there is more and someone will be sure to add it . I thought South Brisbane still teaches the restricted ?

Reply to
atec77

You only need a Restricted Electrical Licence if you are working outside a Workshop. eg in a customers house, or other site, but if you are working in your registered repair workshop, there is no need for a Licence.

Reply to
Allan

Allan, I've never worked in the consumer electronics field only RnD or production co's - what is a registered repair workshop? Is it a formal registration thing?

I've got my NREL over a decade ago and believed that if we worked on the mains wiring / mains components etc then the licence was needed.

cheers.

Reply to
Borat

I'd be interested in what's required for a registered repair workshop as well, who would handle such licensing?. The tech I spoke to today told me a restricted electrical license was no good for 240V power supply work anyway.

Reply to
Mark Harriss

When I got mine when they first came out , The Officer said It was not needed if we only repaired Items in our Workshop. The workshop is registered as a workplace by the Qld office of fair trading. I had a look at the act just now,

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and cannot find a reference to it, so who knows they may have changed their Minds.. He explained its to cover the likes of Manufacture who makes 240 volt appliances, that all the workers would need the licence as well. Cheers Allan

Reply to
Allan

Self employed or employee?

From the perspective of the self employed... if your business is registered with Department of Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry (as I think it's called at the moment) you, or your employees, can work on mains powered equipment in your own workshop at your registered address.

If you work on the same equipment at your customers' premises you require a licence (restricted electrical worker's licence IIRC) and public liability insurance.

All registered businesses involved in electronics repair were contacted by the appropriate department (might've been workplace health & safety) at the time the current requirements were introduced. Around four years ago IIRC. At the time the licence was only a matter of filling out the application and producing an insurance cover note.

AFAIK the employer's licence covers employees. The licence does not cover the mains side of the power point.

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John H
Reply to
John_H

Business registration is handled by the Office of Fair Trading....

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Licensing is handled by Department of Industrial Relations (Electrical Safety Office).

A letter, dated 05/03/2003 (I've still got a copy on file), was sent to all registered businesses that might be affected, . The information therein is pretty scant but it says in part... "For further assistance or to obtain an application form, phone 1300 650 662 or visit our website:

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"

You'll probably need to have a registered business name before you can obtain a licence.

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John H
Reply to
John_H

Thanks for the info John, I'll call them up tommorrow.

Reply to
Mark Harriss

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