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A Queensland sparky has warned apprentices about the serious consequences of taking on electrical cash jobs after one apprentice was hit with a $45,000 fine for unlicensed electrical work.
Aidan from Sorted Electrical shared the warning on Instagram, pointing to the case of a fourth-year electrical apprentice who had been completing jobs outside of his normal employment.
The apprentice carried out work for 27 customers, including replacing power points and installing ceiling fans, lights and cooktops.
While they might sound like straightforward weekend jobs, the apprentice did not hold the electrical licences required to legally carry out the work.
An investigation by Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office later uncovered unsafe electrical work and wiring-rule breaches across multiple properties, with four homeowners exposed to serious electrical risks.
The apprentice ultimately pleaded guilty to six charges relating to illegal electrical work, electrical safety breaches and carrying out electrical contracting without the appropriate licence.
Aidan said the case should be a major warning for apprentices thinking about earning some extra money with weekend cash jobs.
“Imagine copping a $40,000 fine as an apprentice,” he said in the video.
His advice to homeowners was also simple: make sure the person you’re hiring is properly licensed and, when engaging a business, check they hold an electrical contractor licence.
What might look like an easy few hundred dollars on the weekend can quickly become a very expensive mistake.
Source: Workplace Health and Safety Queensland – read the original case here.
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