HAZARDOUS AREA AUDITING MACKAY

As per Electrical Safety Regulation 2013, Section 221. A person must not connect or reconnect an electrical installation located in a hazardous area to a source of electricity after electrical installation work or electric line work (the electrical work) has been performed on the electrical installation unless-

• a. For a high voltage electrical installation or an electrical installation located in a hazardous area, both of the following apply:

  • I. The electrical work has been inspected by an accredited auditor.

  • II. The accredited auditor has confirmed that the electrical installation, to the extent it is affected by the electrical work, has been tested to ensure it is electrically safe and complies with the requirements of the wiring rules and any other standard applying under this regulation to the electrical installation; Or

• b. for an electrical installation located in a hazardous area, both of the following apply:

  • I. The electrical work consists of replacing electrical equipment that is a part of the electrical installation with similar electrical equipment in the circumstances mentioned in section 221A.

  • II. The electrical equipment being replaced is not a switchboard, cable or wire.

Flammable liquids, vapours and gases

• gas manufacturing and processing plants

• gas storage and dispensary

• landfill gas recovery plants

• bio-gas and fuel plants

• hydrogen generation plant

• glue/resin batch plants

• fiberglass and glass manufacturers

• hospital operating theatres

• laboratories

• bitumen storage tanks (heated >100°C)

• cement manufacturers

• landfill sites

• chemical plants

• mineral refinery

• pharmaceutical manufacturer

• paint warehouses and manufacturers

• paint mixing and tinting plants

• printing plants

• spray booths

• treated water dosing stations

• sewage treatment plants

• petrol stations

• fuel dispensaries and refineries

• fuel tanker filling plant

• fuel storage tanks

• coal seam gas wells and plants

• hydrocarbon dewatering plants

• oil recycling facility

Combustible dusts

• industrial bakeries

• milk manufacturing plant

• grain storage silo

• sugar refinery

• sugar storage silo

• breweries

• distillery

• flour mill

• plasterboard manufacturer

• food manufacturing (industrial scale)

• coal stockyards

• coal conveyor transfer chute

• sawmills

• fertiliser manufacturing and storage

If the electrical equipment being replaced in the electrical installation in a hazardous area consumes electricity, the replacement equipment must meet all the prescribed circumstance criteria for electrical equipment that consumes electricity in order for the replacement to be ‘like for like’ and does not require inspection by an accredited auditor.

The replacement of electrical equipment that consumes electricity, must meet all the following prescribed circumstance criteria:

The replacement electrical equipment must:

• have the same voltage rating as the equipment being replaced; and

• have a current rating that is not greater than the current rating of the equipment being replaced; and

• have a power rating that is not greater than the power rating of the equipment being replaced; and

• perform its function in the same way as the equipment being replaced; and

• have electrical characteristics that are the same as or better than the electrical characteristics of the equipment being replaced including when the equipment is operating in circumstances other than normal circumstances; and

• be designed to operate at the same frequency range as the equipment being replaced.

www.Worksafe.qld.gov.au have great examples on their website.

Note: that if you replace or alter an installation's switchboard, cable or wire or install a different type of equipment (i.e. Fluro light to an LED light) this is not considered like for like and you will need to arrange an audit to confirm compliance.