Electrical Work JSA Template
This JSA template covers electrical installation and maintenance work carried out de-energised — isolation and lock-out, proving de-energised, cable and containment installation, switchboard terminations, and the mandatory testing sequence before re-energisation. The task is broken into eight steps in genuine work order, each with specific hazards, hierarchy-of-controls measures and before/after risk ratings. Supplied as an editable Word document you adapt to your site, your circuits and your crew before work starts.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
This Job Safety Analysis covers electrical installation and maintenance tasks performed de-energised: planning and circuit identification, isolation and lock-out, proving de-energised at the point of work, cable and containment installation, switchboard terminations, mandatory testing to AS/NZS 3000 using AS/NZS 3017 methods, and controlled re-energisation and handover. The document is built on a prohibited-by-default position on energised work — the work method assumes circuits are isolated, locked out and proven dead before any conductor is touched, with the narrow energised-testing exceptions treated as their own controlled activity. Each step lists concrete hazards, an initial risk rating, hierarchy-tagged controls and the residual risk once controls are in place.
Work on or near energised electrical installations or services is high-risk construction work under regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations (in Victoria, the OHS Regulations 2017 impose the equivalent duty). Where your task meets that definition, a SWMS must be prepared in addition to this JSA. This JSA supplements a SWMS with task-step detail — it does not discharge the SWMS duty.
Hazards identified
19 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Arises at step: Plan the task, review circuit schedules and confirm licensing. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Plan the task, review circuit schedules and confirm licensing. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Isolate the supply and apply lock-out/tag-out. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Isolate the supply and apply lock-out/tag-out. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Isolate the supply and apply lock-out/tag-out. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Prove de-energised at the point of work. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Prove de-energised at the point of work. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Install cable containment and run cables. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Install cable containment and run cables. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Install cable containment and run cables. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Switchboard work — terminations and fit-off. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Switchboard work — terminations and fit-off. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Switchboard work — terminations and fit-off. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Test the installation before reconnection. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Test the installation before reconnection. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to MEDIUM with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Remove isolation and re-energise. Initial risk HIGH, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Remove isolation and re-energise. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Commission, label and hand back. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Arises at step: Commission, label and hand back. Initial risk MEDIUM, reduced to LOW with the listed controls in place.
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Administrative — Review the switchboard schedule, single-line diagram and metering before starting, and walk the site to identify solar inverters, generators and UPS units connected to the installation
- 2Isolation — Isolate every identified secondary source at its own dedicated isolator so no alternative supply can back-feed the work area
- 3Administrative — Confirm every person performing electrical work holds a current electrical licence for the state or territory, and that apprentices are supervised as their training contract requires
- 4Administrative — Trace and positively identify the circuit at the board before isolating — never rely on labels alone
- 5Isolation — Isolate at the identified protective device and lock it off with a personal padlock and danger tag
- 6Isolation — One personal lock per worker on the isolation point (multi-hasp where several workers are involved), with a danger tag naming the worker and task
- 7Administrative — Record the isolation in the site isolation register or permit; only the person who fitted a lock may remove it
- 8Engineering — Allow the manufacturer's stated discharge time for drives and capacitor banks before approaching terminals
- 9Administrative — Treat the equipment as live until de-energisation is verified by measurement at the next step
- 10Engineering — Use a two-pole voltage tester rated at least Cat III for the installation — never a non-contact pen as the sole means of proving dead
- 11Administrative — Test the tester on a known live source immediately before and immediately after proving de-energised
- 12Administrative — Prove de-energised at the point of work, on all conductors including the neutral, before touching any of them
- 13Substitution — Use a scissor lift, podium step or mobile scaffold instead of a straight ladder wherever the task and access allow
- 14Administrative — Where a ladder is unavoidable, maintain three points of contact and work within arm's reach — never side-load or overreach
- 15Engineering — Use drum stands, cable rollers and pulling lubricant on long runs
- 16Administrative — Plan pulls as a team with agreed signals, and break long runs into stages
- 17Engineering — Deburr or fit edge protection to all cut tray edges before cabling
- 18PPE — Wear medium-impact safety glasses (AS/NZS 1337.1) and cut-resistant gloves when cutting and drilling
- 19Elimination — Programme the work under a full board shutdown so no live sections remain, wherever the client can accept the outage
- 20Isolation — Where sections must stay live, fit insulating barriers or mats so live parts cannot be reached from the work area
- 21PPE — Wear arc-rated clothing and a face shield whenever any section of the board remains live
- 22Administrative — Check the asbestos register first, and treat backing panels in pre-1990 boards as asbestos-containing until tested
- 23Elimination — Do not drill suspect panels — mount equipment using existing fixing points, or have the panel replaced by a licensed asbestos removalist
- 24Administrative — Inspect and vacuum the board interior, and account for all tools and fixings, before closing covers
- 25Engineering — Use 1000 V insulated tools (IEC 60900) for all work inside the board
- 26Administrative — Complete every mandatory test required by AS/NZS 3000 using AS/NZS 3017 methods — earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity and correct circuit connections — and record the results before reconnection
- 27Engineering — Use test instruments and leads rated for the installation category, with shrouded probes in good condition
- 28Administrative — Only the licensed electrician performs energised testing, with the minimum circuit energised for the shortest time and other workers kept clear
- 29Administrative — Sweep and clear all work areas and confirm every worker is accounted for before locks come off; each lock is removed only by the worker who fitted it
- 30Administrative — Re-energise one protective device at a time, standing to the side of the board, and verify each circuit is healthy before closing the next
- 31Administrative — Update the circuit schedule and label all new or altered circuits before leaving site, and lodge the certificate of electrical safety or compliance your state or territory requires
- 32Administrative — Keep housekeeping progressive through the task and complete a final clean-down before handover
Applicable Codes of Practice
De-energisation, isolation and proving dead — the controls at the centre of this analysis.
Installation standard the completed work must meet.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Work on or near energised electrical installations or services is high-risk construction work under regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations (in Victoria, the OHS Regulations 2017 impose the equivalent duty). Where your task meets that definition, a SWMS must be prepared in addition to this JSA. This JSA supplements a SWMS with task-step detail — it does not discharge the SWMS duty.
Who this is for
- →Licensed electrical contractors and sole-trader electricians
- →Maintenance electricians in commercial and industrial facilities
- →Site supervisors and project managers engaging electrical subcontractors
- →Facilities and building managers who need documented risk management for electrical tasks
What you receive
- ✓Editable Microsoft Word (DOCX) JSA template — purchased once, no subscription
- ✓Eight pre-written work steps covering isolation and lock-out, proving de-energised, cable installation, switchboard work, testing and re-energisation
- ✓Hazard, initial risk, control and residual-risk columns pre-filled and tagged to the hierarchy of controls
- ✓PPE and training lists specific to electrical work, with Australian standards referenced
- ✓Emergency response notes for electric shock plus a worker sign-on section
- ✓Plain-English guidance on when a SWMS is required in addition to the JSA
Worked example
This Job Safety Analysis covers electrical installation and maintenance tasks performed de-energised: planning and circuit identification, isolation and lock-out, proving de-energised at the point of work, cable and containment installation, switchboard terminations, mandatory testing to AS/NZS 3000 using AS/NZS 3017 methods, and controlled re-energisation and handover. The document is built on a prohibited-by-default position on energised work — the work method assumes circuits are isolated, locked out and proven dead before any conductor is touched, with the narrow energised-testing exceptions treated as their own controlled activity. Each step lists concrete hazards, an initial risk rating, hierarchy-tagged controls and the residual risk once controls are in place.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations of your state or territory (in Victoria, the OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017)
- How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice
- Where the task is high-risk construction work: the SWMS provisions of your jurisdiction (a JSA supplements, and does not replace, a required SWMS)
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need a SWMS for electrical work?
Often, yes. Work on or near energised electrical installations or services is high-risk construction work under regulation 291 of the model WHS Regulations, and where your task meets that definition a SWMS is legally required. This JSA supplements a SWMS with step-by-step task detail — it does not replace it or discharge the SWMS duty. For maintenance tasks that are not construction work, a JSA alone may be an appropriate risk-management tool.
Can I use this template for live (energised) electrical work?
No. The template is written around a de-energised work method: isolate, lock out, prove dead, then work. Energised electrical work is prohibited under the WHS Regulations except in narrow circumstances, such as testing that can only be performed live, and those exceptions carry their own strict requirements. If you believe live work is unavoidable, that decision needs its own documented risk assessment and controls beyond this template.
Is the template editable, and can I reuse it?
Yes. It is a Microsoft Word (DOCX) file you purchase once and edit freely — company details, site specifics, steps, hazards, controls and ratings are all editable. You can reuse and adapt it for each new task or site. There is no subscription and nothing expires.
Who should complete and sign the JSA?
The licensed electrician carrying out the task should complete it, ideally with the supervisor, before work starts. Walk the actual work area while filling it in, brief everyone involved on the hazards and controls, and have each worker sign on. Review and update it whenever the task, site conditions or crew change.
Does the template cover solar, generator and UPS back-feed?
Yes. The planning and isolation steps specifically address secondary supply sources — solar PV inverters, standby generators and UPS units — that can back-feed circuits after main-switch isolation. You still need to adapt these entries to the actual installation, because supply arrangements differ on every site.