The Queensland Government is stepping up its blitz on unlicensed operators advertising through online marketplaces like AirTasker, to do electrical tasks illegally.
Electrical work can only be done in the state by someone with a valid Queensland electrical contractor's licence. People doing unlicensed electrical work generally do not have the knowledge or competence to ensure it’s compliant with installation standards, or to ultimately test the work to make sure it’s electrically safe.
Unlicensed electrical work not only poses the risk of injury or death through shock but can also be a fire risk especially for older buildings, like many trading hotels for example, that don’t have safety switches on all their electrical circuitry. There are also insurance implications for this type of activity.
Earlier this year, a Queensland concreting business and its sole director were fined $42,500 for unsafe and unlicensed electrical practices. In a separate matter, an individual was charged with nine offences relating to unlicensed electrical work and unlicensed electrical contracting and was fined $100,000.
