Audit Programme Summary
The Board has now completed two rounds of assessments of electrical worker competence and safe working practices.
The assessments provided invaluable data and identified areas where further development of electrical worker knowledge is needed. Work is now underway to address this through the development of new competency programme content and topics for the Board’s Toolbox.
If you’re interested, view the Assessment programme page for an overview of the programme and the findings of the assessments.
The Board has also completed the development of a first draft of an Audit Scheme, in conjunction with JAS-ANZ and a technical committee of industry representatives.
The Scheme is designed to ensure consistency in how assessments of electrical worker competency and safe worker practices are carried out. It will also allow any organisation that adopts it to assess their own workers and, potentially, for recognition of organisations that have been certified under more stringent regimes such as AS/NZS 4801:2001 or NZS 7901:2014.
The Board will be sending it out for consultation in the near future, and encourage you to provide your views on it.
The assessment plan for 2017-2018 is to test the draft Scheme with one or more employer licence holders and with large employers.
Whilst these assessments are underway the Board will be further developing the mechanics of its assessment of individual electrical workers. The overall aim for programme is that it delivers reliable and useful information, whilst not overly burdening those that are being assessed.
We’re already seeing major cost-savings by using the new way of auditing. Over the past two years, approximately $272,000 per annum has been spent on developing systems and capability, and on carrying out assessments, which have delivered valuable information.
In the year ahead, the Board is looking to reduce the amount spent on assessments, and instead prioritise the funding into education programmes that focus on the areas the assessment rounds have identified as needing attention. The Board will also be looking at ways of getting more assessments of electrical workers completed for the same costs, before it resumes assessments of individuals.
The Board is always looking to improve its programmes. If you have views or wish to make suggestions then you can do so by contacting us.