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“Black Saturday” Bushfires SUMMer/AutuMN 2009 ISSUE 15 A PUBLICATION BROUGHT TO YOU BY ENERGY SAFE VICTORIA COURTesY OF ENERGY SAFE VICTORIA. COPYRIGHT © 2009. PP352583/00578 S U MM ER /A utu MN 2009 I SS UE 15 “BLACK SATURDAY” BUSHFIRES – ONLINE COES AVAILABLE sooN 6 WARNING: KEEP AIR coNDITIONErs CLEAR OF LPG INSTALLATIONS 10 HOW THE ENERGY INDUSTRY ESV ACTION ON UNAPProVED ELECTRICAL ProDUCTS 20, 21 ResPONDED TO THE DIsasTER GAS STANDARD AS1596 – fURTHER CHANGES EXPLAINED 28 PAGES 3, 4, 5, 15, 16, 17, 18 ELECTRICITY INSTALLATION IssUES – morE QUESTIONS ANswERED 24 NEW GAS SAFETY (GAS INSTALLATION) REGULATIONS 2008 29 The e-book option is far more interactive than Why not join those who standard PDF versions, giving readers the option contents. to turn the page, zoom, search and print specific receive the magazine articles of interest. 3 ESV initiatives to assist bushfire recovery as an e-book. The new format is easy to use and already a large More and more readers are choosing to receive number of recipients have opted for the e-book 3 ESV concern over safety of generators energysafe online in an e-book format, and you facility. can join them. It is quite simple to arrange to receive the magazine 4, 5, 15, 16, 17 and 18 The introduction of the e-book is one way for ESV to as an e-book. More bushfire articles and pictures reduce its impact on the environment. 1. Log on to www.esv.vic.gov.au and select online services by clicking Login 6 Online certificates of electrical safety 2. Enter your user ID and password (if you don’t know available soon this, contact ESV Licensing on 1800 815 721) 7 Charges in court over leaving apprentice 3. Make amendments to your details as required unsupervised 4. Enter your email address and select box to receive electronic mail 8 Windsor Caravans recall 5. Click save Alternatively, email [email protected] 8 Boys injured in gas cylinder incident advising your wishes to receive the e-book version. 9 Outdoor patio heaters in childrens’ Once you have subscribed, you will receive an email notifying you when the latest edition is available and play centre a direct link to it. 10 Important information – keeping air conditioners clear of LPG Installations 12 Good progress in repairing Port Philip pipeline 13 ESV’s “Look Up, Look Down – And Live” 2 DVD From 14 Rework of evaporative air conditioners 19 Incidents involving young electricians continue the 20, 21 ESV action on unapproved electrical products editor. 22 Latest prosecutions brought by ESV THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH worDS IN THE DICTIONARY At ESV we don’t believe that the people who worked 23 Christmas lights warning from Minister TO DEscrIBE THE TErrIBLE EVENTS OF SATURDAY 7 so hard restoring major power infrastructure and FEBRUARy – proBABLY AUSTRALIA’S worsT PEACE volunteered their time and skills to assist residents www. 24 Electrical installations – more of your TIME DISASTER – WITH so MANY DEAD AND INJURED to get their electricity and gas supplies restored questions answered AND so MUCH DAMAGE TO HITHERTO BUSTLING where possible have been properly acknowledged coMMUNITIES FroM BUSHFIRES DISPLAYING A for their contribution. energy 26, 27 NEVER SEEN BEForE FErocITY. Gas technical articles and other SP AusNet’s distribution area in the eastern part information There is deservedly a great deal of praise due to of the State was undoubtedly the hardest hit. the fire fighters, police and other personnel from The work by its crews and others, joined in a safe 28 Gas standard AS 1596 – further a variety of different emergency services who fought mutual aid contribution by crews from other changes explained the dreadful fires, rescued as many people as businesses in Victoria and the rest of Australia, .vic.gov.au possible and are now fully involved in the process to rebuild essential infrastructure so that supplies 29 New Gas Safety (Gas Installation) of recovery for communities and individual victims. could be restored was not far short of phenomenal. Regulations 2008 Naturally enough the power system took a huge Of course the work is not finished and it proceeds 31 How to become an REC hit – there was no way it could have kept operating at great pace. Well done everyone – keep it up. in those conditions – with transmission systems, Hopefully this issue of energysafe will go 31 The correct connection of generators distribution infrastructure and the very wires into someway towards giving some credit where credit to electrical installations individual properties virtually being wiped away. is due. We make no apologies for devoting a great There are a number of unsung “heroes” to emerge deal of space to the bushfires and their aftermath from what has been termed for want of a better as far as energy supplies are concerned. And we name “Black Saturday”. The energysafe team for this issue: have not forgotten the efforts put in to ensure the Editor David Guthrie-Jones Lineworkers, electrical and plumbing/gasfitting integrity of supplies in the three-day extreme heat Contributors Charlotte Roseby, Roger Lambie, John trades – and everyone who has played a part in wave at the end of January. restoring electricity and gas supplies to bushfire Murphy, Doug Rennie, Terry Clement, Michael Leahy, But we do have a great deal of other information ravaged areas – would not regard themselves as John Stolk, Neil Fraser, Trevor Hudson, Kevin Nathan, in this issue. We hope you find it useful. Bala Balendran, Badri Srinivasan, Kerry Marshall. “heroes”. As far as they’re concerned they’re just Editorial assistant Taryn Drewett doing their bit to help those who are worse off David Guthrie-Jones Photographers Taryn Drewett, Shelley Burnside, Trevor than themselves – a sentiment expressed all over [email protected] Hudson, Michael Bull. Australia and many parts of the world. Cartoonist/illustrator Paul Harvey Design AER Design Printing Energi Print FRONT COVER: The bushfires of “Black Saturday” advertisenow! caused immense damage, wiping out communities and For advertising information and bookings contact Barry Telfer of Barry Telfer Media Services on inflicting a terrible toll of deaths. The power system was Ph: (03) 9579 7787, Fax: (03) 9579 0375 or by email at [email protected] never built to withstand such a ferocious attack and also Bookings are now being taken for the next and subsequent issues of energysafe. suffered. The work of line crews and the electrical and plumbing/gasfitting trades helped relieve a great deal of Our attractive advertising rates are as follows: the stress caused by the fires by getting energy supplies Full page > $5000 Half page > $2500 One third page > $1700 Quarter page > $1500 restored wherever possible. It was a great effort and their commitment to help in any way possible continues. ESV joins others in acknowledging the contribution made to the Authorised by: Energy Safe Victoria, Building 2, 4 Riverside Quay, Southbank, Victoria 3006 Ph: 03 9203 9700 short term recovery of many bushfire ravaged communities. Printed by: Energi Print, 25-27 Olive Grove, Keysborough, Victoria 3173. Our first front cover for this year is purely symbolic of what Copyright. All material appearing in energysafe is copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is not happened over such a vast area. A transformer pole permissible without the written permission of Energy Safe Victoria, depending on the source of the article. literally burnt to the ground. There is no need to say more. Liability. Howsoever arising as a consequence of use or reliance upon any advice, representations, statement, The picture is by ESV Compliance Officer Michael Bull. opinion or conclusion expressed herein is expressly denied by Energy Safe Victoria and all persons involved in the preparation of this publication. ESV also announced that other registered electrical contractors/licensed electricians ESV’s who issued certificates of electrical safety for electrical work carried out in bushfire affected initiatives areas would have the certificates replaced by to support ESV also free of charge. Proposed changes to the electricity safety bushfire regime were also brought forward allowing Licensed Electrical Inspectors who have a ravaged G class licence to inspect the installation of generators. Normally this work is confined to inspectors with S or R licences. Changes were communities made to the ESV certificate system so that G class inspectors would not need to make WITH HUNDREDS OF LICENSED ELECTRICIANS a licence application before being available ANswERING THE CALL TO VOLUNTARILY AssIST for the work. IN RESTorING PowER TO ProPERTIES RAVAGED Information on the safe connection of BY THE HorrENDOUS “BLAck SATURDAY” generators to electrical installations was loaded BUSHFIRES IN THE KINGLAKE AREA, ESV MOVED onto the ESV website at www.esv.vic.gov.au QUIckLY TO AssEMBLE A SUITE OF INITIATIVES in “what’s new” under “about ESV”. TO HELP THE work. In another initiative, ESV also announced it After the call by the ETU and NECA for would permit builders’ poles to be used to electricians to volunteer their services to help connect properties in bushfire affected areas reconnecting supplies to properties, ESV to the electricity supply, and remain in place for worked with both organisations to coordinate 12 months. This arrangement could apply to 3 a speedy and effective response. temporary accommodation, new construction CREws RESTorING PowER INFRASTRUCTURE FOLLowING or for equipment such as pumps. THe “BLAck SATURDAY” bUSHFIRES. ESV Compliance Officer, Michael Bull, worked A large amount of electricity and gas safety from the Kinglake West fire station helping ESV said that the use of overhead supply advice was provided by ESV in media releases to coordinate the program advising both builders’ poles could only be used in such and also in flyers for emergency authorities to electricians and residents.
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