Builders Temporary for construction sites

While working on-site, you may need to organise a builders temporary. Electricity can be supplied to a small construction site through a temporary connection.

A builder’s temporary provides builders and other tradespeople an electricity supply on-site where there is no existing connection to an electricity network. Only a licensed electrical worker can install, connect, modify or move a builder’s temporary.

What certifications and inspections are required?
Before you can use a builder’s temporary, an electrician must give you

• A certificate of Compliance (CoC)
• A Record of Inspection (RoI) as per the requirements of AS/NZS 3000 (2018) Electrical Installations (Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules)
• An Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC) – issued by the State based Electrical regulator

These documents guarantee that the builder’s temporary meets the requirements of AS/NZS 3012 (2019) Electrical Installations – Construction and Demolition sites . The builder’s temporary must be assessed by a licensed electrician (A class) or electrical inspector at least every six months. As well as a visual inspection, the wiring should be re-tested for earth continuity and insulation resistance of the installation. Records of inspection and re-testing should be kept on-site and be made available on request

Where should a builder’s temporary be located?
A builder’s temporary should be located close to where the electrical work will be carried out. Consider where most of the electrical work on-site will be done and how connections can be made without using too many extension leads  – which can be a potential electrical and trip hazard.

Working with other PCBU’s on-site
PCBU’s and contractors working on the same site must, so far as is reasonably practicable, work together to manage electrical safety risks. Have a discussion about how electricity will be supplied and used in areas where your health and safety duties may overlap. This will help to prevent any gaps in managing health and safety risks. You can read more about this in our blog ‘The three C’s: Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination’.

Keeping you and your team safe at work is a priority, so make sure you are aware of the employer’s requirements of temporary power supplies in the workplace.

The HazardCo App Site Review resource has a list of electrical controls that should be in place to mitigate the risk of electrical hazards.