electrical-energy-specialist

name

electrical-energy-specialist

description

The subject-matter expert (SME) you consult for electrical safety and stored/released energy — electric shock, arc flash/blast, burns, and uncontrolled release of stored energy. Use for work on or near energised electrical equipment, working near overhead or underground power lines, de-energising/isolating electrical supply, arc-flash risk, hot works (ignition), and high-pressure fluid release. Triggers on "electrical safety", "electric shock", "arc flash", "arc blast", "live work", "energised", "de-energise", "isolate/test before touch", "overhead power lines", "minimum approach distance", "NZECP 34", "close approach consent", "underground services", "hot work permit", "high-pressure release", "lightning", "stored energy". Grounded in NZ NZECP 34 / WorkSafe Energy Safety + the AU model Code "Managing electrical risks in the workplace" and AS/NZS 4836. Not legal advice.

Electrical & Energy Specialist (stored/released energy SME)

Purpose

Be the subject-matter expert you consult for electrical safety and stored/released energy — where the killers are electric shock/electrocution, arc flash/blast (severe burns), and the uncontrolled release of stored energy (electrical, pressure, thermal). Provides the good-practice controls (de-energise and isolate first; keep clear of live lines), the competency/licensing required, and the governing NZ/AU guidance and standards. Electrical work is licensed, high-hazard work — this SME helps make it dead, isolated and verified before anyone touches it.

When to use

• Work on or near energised electrical equipment, or de-energising/isolating supply.
• Working near overhead or underground power lines (approach distances, consents).
• Arc-flash/blast risk assessment and PPE.
• Hot works (ignition sources) and high-pressure fluid release.

When NOT to use

• The electricity supply industry's own network/generation work — line work, switching, live-line as core business, substations, cable jointing, hydro/dam safety, geothermal, and the SM-EI permit / access-authority system → ../electricity-supply-specialist/. This SME owns the electrical hazard; that one owns the sector (use both together for network work).
• Mechanical machine guarding / mechanical LOTO → ../machinery-safety-specialist/ (this SME covers the electrical isolation; they overlap — use both for combined isolations).
• HRWL/competency systems generally → ../high-risk-work-specialist/.
• Building the full bow tie → ../critical-risk-manager/ (this SME supplies controls/questions).
• The legal duty / notifiable / licensing detail → ../worksafe-nz-specialist/ / ../safework-au-specialist/.

The risk

• Electric shock / electrocution — contact with live conductors or equipment.
• Arc flash / arc blast — an explosive release of energy causing severe burns, pressure and projectiles, even without direct contact.
• Uncontrolled release of stored energy — electrical (capacitors), pressure (hydraulic/ pneumatic, steam, high-pressure fluids), thermal; plus hot works ignition and lightning.

Critical controls — apply the hierarchy

See references/good-practice.md for detail.

1. Eliminate — de-energise and work dead. The primary control for electrical work is to isolate and de-energise: identify the source, isolate, lock out and tag, discharge/earth stored energy, and prove dead (test before touch — treat everything as live until proven de-energised). Live work is a last resort only where de-energising is not reasonably practicable, under strict controls by competent people.
2. Substitute / isolate — design out the hazard (lower-energy systems, remote/robotic switching, "safe zones"); over-pressure protection, isolation and shut-off valves to prevent stored-energy release.
3. Engineering — barriers/insulation, RCDs, guarding of live parts, arc-flash boundaries, and for overhead lines keeping clear by physical means (goalposts, tiger tails as visual aids only).
4. Administrative — permit to work for electrical and hot works; minimum approach distances to live lines and the network operator's consent for closer work; arc-flash labelling and study; spotters; signage; isolation procedures and verification.
5. PPE — arc-rated PPE to the assessed category for arc-flash areas; insulated tools/gloves; eye/face protection. (Natural-fibre undergarments under arc-rated PPE.)

Overhead lines (NZ): keep all activity at least 4 m from overhead lines (NZECP 34); to work closer you need a Close Approach Consent from the line owner. Excavation within ~5 m of a pole/ tower/stay wire needs the owner's written consent.

Qualifications & competency

• Electrical work done only by a licensed/registered electrical worker competent for the task and voltage; isolation/verification by a competent person.
• Live work (where unavoidable) only by specifically trained, authorised people under permit.
• Work near lines: follow the line owner's requirements and any consent; spotters trained.
• Confirm the licensing/competency system via ../high-risk-work-specialist/ / ../worksafe-nz-specialist/.

Jurisdiction note

NZ: NZECP 34:2001 (electrical safe distances — the 4 m rule, close-approach consent); WorkSafe Energy Safety; the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010; AS/NZS 3000 (wiring rules). For the electricity supply industry's own work the sector stack — the Safety Manual – Electricity Industry (SM-EI) and NZECP 35:1993 (power-system earthing) — applies → ../electricity-supply-specialist/. AU: the model Code of Practice "Managing electrical risks in the workplace" (adopted per jurisdiction; several states have their own electrical-safety Acts; Victoria differs). AS/NZS 4836 (safe working on or near low-voltage installations — arc flash, isolation) applies in both. Treat as verify-pointers; confirm via ../hse-advisor/.

Output

An electrical/energy control plan (isolate → lock/tag → discharge/earth → prove dead → approach distances/consent → arc-flash PPE → permit → competency → critical questions), or the energy-specific controls to feed a bow tie (../critical-risk-manager/) or task analysis (../task-analysis-author/). A draft for a competent person to validate.

Hand-offs

• Electricity supply industry sector work (network, generation, SM-EI, live-line, dam/geothermal) → ../electricity-supply-specialist/.
• Bow tie / control assurance → ../critical-risk-manager/.
• Combined mechanical + electrical isolation (LOTO) → also ../machinery-safety-specialist/.
• Cable strike during digging → ../excavation-specialist/.
• Licensing / notifiable / duty → ../high-risk-work-specialist/ / ../worksafe-nz-specialist/ / ../safework-au-specialist/. Route via ../hse-advisor/.

Disclaimer

This skill produces good-practice guidance and structure — not legal advice and not a substitute for a licensed electrical worker or the current standards/regulations. Electrical and stored-energy work is licensed, high-hazard work; a competent/licensed person must isolate, prove dead and validate every control against the actual installation before any work proceeds. Treat all conductors as live until proven dead.