A bathroom renovator has faced Albany Magistrates Court after illegal electrical work left exposed live wiring that could have caused a fatal electric shock.
Following prosecution by Building and Energy, Jack Alexander Lusty, the sole director of Great Southern Home Improvements Pty Ltd, was fined $6,500 for carrying out unlicensed electrical work.
Mr Lusty previously entered a guilty plea to breaching the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991, but he did not attend court for sentencing on 28 November 2024.
The court was told that during renovation work at an Orana home, Mr Lusty connected a combined heating, fan and light unit to the 240-volt mains power supply in the bathroom wall and ceiling.
Under the regulations, only a licensed electrical worker can carry out this electrical installing work. Mr Lusty has never held this licence.
The court heard that up to a month after the unit’s installation, the homeowner pulled on a wire dangling in a gap between the bathroom doorframe and the wall.
A licensed electrician attended the property and found the exposed wire was live and came from the unit installed by Mr Lusty. The unit’s electrical terminals were also left uncovered in the roof space and the switch wiring was incorrect.
Magistrate Erin O’Donnell ordered Mr Lusty to pay costs of $600 and noted it was lucky no one had received an electric shock from the work, which was clearly not done to the correct standard.
WA’s Director of Energy Safety, Saj Abdoolakhan, said the case was a stark reminder about why licensing requirements are in place for electrical work.
“It is no exaggeration that this substandard and illegal electrical work could have caused a fatality, especially because the exposed live components were accessible near the doorframe and in the roof space,” Mr Abdoolakhan said.
“To ensure safety and compliance, at least four years of training and experience are required to become a licensed electrician. Their work also requires certification and is subject to inspection.
“There is no place for amateur electrical work when the consequences can be lethal.”
To find or check the details of a licensed electrician, visit the Building and Energy website or the ServiceWA app.
<ENDS>
Media contact: BEmedia@demirs.wa.gov.au
Print this page
