A Tribute to Electricians

As you may have heard, on 2 February, a fatal explosion occurred at a Perth shopping centre; it appears the blast originated near an electrical transformer. The two victims were electricians performing routine maintenance on the transformer. An additional seven people were wounded, and two continue to fight for their lives. At this time, it’s unclear what exactly caused the explosion, but EnergySafe and WorkSafe are investigating.

Force would like to express our deepest sympathies to the families who lost a loved one in this explosion; our thoughts and prayers are with you. Any loss of life is tragic, but this accident hits us especially close to home. We have many clients who are electricians and we work with them every day.

Electrical Work Carries Risks

According to the Australian government’s job outlook, as of November 2013, there were 145,400 electricians working in Australia. Through November 2018, this field is expected to add another 50,000 to its ranks. With so many electricians working throughout the country on a wide variety of jobs, it’s easy to forget that electrical work is inherently dangerous.

That’s why electricians are highly trained, not only because the work they do is incredibly skilled, but because the powerful forces involved necessitate a thorough understanding of the risks. The most common level of education is Certificate III/IV, and the licensing process—though it varies between states—is consistently rigorous across them all. In most states, electricians have to renew their licenses every five years. This helps to ensure that all actively working electricians are up on the latest developments in the industry, especially those that relate to safety. In spite of that, there are still deadly accidents like this one.

Electricians provide such an essential service for us all, ranging from designing and installing electrical networks to making repairs to circuits. They work in all spheres: industrial, commercial, and in our homes. Without electricians, we simply wouldn’t be able to function in the modern world! Force is so very grateful for the hard work and professionalism of the men and women working in this field.

Keeping Electricians Safe

We are proud to supply electricians with Insulated Travel Towers to help keep them safe on the job by reducing the risk of electrocution while they work on electrical poles, pylons, and other similar structures and equipment. Our Scissor Lift Hire is perfect for helping electricians clear vegetation around power lines. Our role behind the scenes is definitely the easy part, though—the electricians are the ones working with overhead wiring, electrical masts, and other high voltage systems. It isn’t an easy job.

That’s why we want to say, ‘Thank you, electricians. While your work is never easy, we can only imagine how much more difficult it is in the wake of a tragedy like this. We hope you know how much Force values you and the work you do. You literally light up our lives.