Below is a list of the top 10 most common electrical work defects identified by TechSafe Australia during inspections of residential installations (excluding solar) in 2025.
The below defects represent about 56% of all defects identified on residential installations in 2025.
Many of the defects are work quality issues that could easily be avoided without additional costs being incurred. Reducing these mistakes will mean that fewer defect notices are issued, saving everyone time and money returning to properties to fix defects.
Table 1 - Most common electrical defects 2025 - Residential installations
| Clause number | Clause heading | Non-compliance identified | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.10.7 | Fire protective measures | Cable entries into switchboards not adequately fire sealed. To prevent the spread of fire, free space in excess of 5mm is required to be sealed by an acceptable fire-resistant sealer. This includes open conduits entering the enclosure. |
| 2 | 3.11.4.6 | Marking and recording of underground cable location | Underground cable routes not recorded on plan at switchboard. A site plan indicating the underground cable route is required to be located at the switchboard. |
| 3 | 1.7.2 | Installation work practice | Equipment not adequately fixed in position, not providing adequate access to equipment requiring operation or maintenance, and not installing equipment to manufacturer instructions. Mostly relating to the adequate securing of individual items of electrical equipment such as heat pumps, inverters, power points, switches etc, inadequate access to equipment such as hot water cylinders, and not installing equipment to manufacturer instructions. |
| 4 | 5.3.6.4 | Earth electrodes – Location | Earth electrode not installed in correct location. Earth electrodes must be installed in a location that is not prone to damage, ground will not dry out (must remain moist from normal rainfall) and separated from other services such as gas and communication services. |
| 5 | 1.7.1 | Selection and installation of electrical equipment – General | Electrical equipment not installed in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Almost always cooking appliances, anti-tilt brackets, heat shields and inadequate clearances surrounding the cooktop. |
| 6 | 5.4.6.1 | Structural metalwork including conductive building materials – General | Conductive building materials not earthed. Conductive structural components such as steel wall and roof framing increasingly used in houses and sheds require earthing (or bonding) to the installation earthing system. |
| 7 | 2.3.2.2 | Devices for isolation | Devices for isolation shall effectively isolate all active conductors from the circuit. |
| 8 | 2.10.5.2 | Relationship of electrical equipment | Circuit breakers incorrectly marked at switchboard. No marking at all or illegible labelling with a permanent marker or pen. |
| 9 | 2.10.5.1 | Equipment identification | All equipment installed on a switchboard shall be legibly and indelibly identified in the English language. Equipment shall be easily identified and correctly marked with a permanent label and not abbreviated. |
| 10 | 2.10.5.4 | Terminals of switchboards equipment | Terminals of Bars, circuit -breakers, fuses and other electrical equipment mounted on a switchboard shall be marked or arranged to identify the corresponding active and neutral connection for each circuit. The terminal for the connection of the MEN connection ant for the main neutral conductor shall be legibly and indelibly marked at the main neutral. |
Further information
For further information, please contact us by emailing CAT.info@justice.tas.gov.au or by phoning 1300 654 499.