New Caravan Park Scam

[gronk]

Where does the air come from, Electric or petrol compressor?

Coal mines have an electric compressor...or 3.....fed by 1000V.

[gronk]

How do you charge your batteries. Serious question.

You mean the batteries for the tools ? Contractors charge them before coming on site. We charged them with a battery charger ?? Was it a trick question ?

[nab]

You mean the batteries for the tools ? Contractors charge them before coming on site. We charged them with a battery charger ?? Was it a trick question ?

Are you expected to bring umpteen charged batteries for the duration of your job or is there a facility/area where they can be charged? Or are you expected to charge them in the donga each night?

[gronk]

Are you expected to bring umpteen charged batteries for the duration of your job or is there a facility/area where they can be charged? Or are you expected to charge them in the donga each night?

The mines I worked at didn't have dongas.........and contractors would only be in for a day. Never had to work at those FIFO joints.
But yes, contractors would have to carry as many batts as the job needed........some may not have been happy about it, but they were the rules.

[Symon]

Australian/NZ Standards are not law. Australian Design Regulations that reference the standards are law.

This is true, BUT in state electrical legislation (not the ADR) there is a clause stating that electrical installations must comply with the wiring rules.  And the wiring rules is AS/NZS 3000, so if someone creates an electrical installation that does not comply with AS/NZS 3000 then they may be prosecuted under the relevant state legislation.  So while it is true that AS/NZS 3000 is not law, failure to comply with it means that you are liable to prosecution under state law.

It is also important to note that every state has a slightly different interpretation of what constitutes an 'electrical installation'.  For example in Victoria a caravan is classified as an appliance, so exempt from AS 3000 and AS 3001.  This is one of many reasons why most caravans are made in Victoria.

With testing and tagging, the relevant standard is AS 3760, which is not referenced by AS 3000, but is often referenced by WHS or OHS legislation depending on what state you are in.  Interestingly in QLD, there is an exemption in the Electrical Safety Regulation whereby you don't need to test and tag your equipment if the circuit is protected by an RCD.  Many offices including government departments don't test and tag because of this.

For caravan parks they are private properties, so if they want to enforce a test and tag rule that is up to them.  There is no legal basis for it, but if they make it a condition of entry then that is their business.

Where does the air come from, Electric or petrol compressor?

Engine driven compressor, usually mounted on the back of a ute, or they use the plant air which the company supplies.  It is pretty common on mines now to ban the use of 240V tools in wet areas or confined spaces.  There is usually a battery charging station in a workshop or similar in a place that isn't prone to getting wet.

[gronk]

  It is pretty common on mines now to ban the use of 240V tools in wet areas or confined spaces.

Where it stemmed from was probably the number of people , employees and contractors , getting elect shocks from extension leads in washeries especially, which of course are always wet.

In the power stations years ago, an elect shock was part of the game...but nowadays they are treated seriously, as even a small one can cause heart problems, even in a young and fit person.

[briann532]

What's the use of it when I can walk in to Bunnings and purchase my own tags. Grab a Sharpie and then fill our the tag.

I am in the building industry and it's amazing how quickly any subcontractor can have an untagged lead fixed without even leaving site.

To fix the problem make them only available to licensed testers

GG

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Did you just suggest something sensible?

Surely you jest.........

[GBC]

I am a licensed tester and still haven't got a clue. The system has been undermined and needs to go the way of certain other high risk licences (skid steer, excavator etc) which we're also undermined and operators now need a newer certificate of competency - or just let sparkies do it.

[speewa158]

Grab your solar/genie  & remain off grid               

[Wunderlust]

Liability Insurance!!

You got it - it'll be in the small print of the cover..

[corndog]

At one time there were maybe 40 odd Jims test n tags around, only 3 were sparkies, the rest had done the so called course that is run.  I've see stuff that must have been tagged by a blind man.
He had to be blind cause he couldn't see what was so obvious. Put tagging in a place where there is no real control over it, like a caravan park and it won't work as intended.

[Bird]

Put tagging in a place where there is no real control over it,

I wanna know why they always put the sticker over the specs so you cant read them

[Mitch92]

I wanna know why they always put the sticker over the specs so you cant read them

Sick sense of humour 

[Fizzie]

I wanna know why they always put the sticker over the specs so you cant read them

What, people actually read spec's

[corndog]

Tags should be put close to the plug top end of the cable.

[weeds]

I emailed Big 4 and........got a reply.

*****Copy and Paste from reply

I would like to thank you for your correspondence to BIG4 Holiday Parks and your question regarding provision of power to caravans at BIG4 Parks.

Each BIG4 Holiday Park is independently owned and operated. BIG4 Holiday Parks is a brand and marketing franchise and does not prescribe operational procedures to our members parks. We do however require that BIG4 parks ensure they satisfy workplace and public safety best practice and legislation.

BIG4 Holiday Parks of Australia would not be likely to enforce the use of tested and tagged electrical leads by guests. However individual parks, and at some point, workplace and public safety requirements may require this.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact us.

Wishing you safe and happy travels and a lovely Christmas and New Year

Kind regards



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[Bird]

Generic form letter that you'd expect.

[weeds]

Generic form letter that you'd expect.

Yes and no.....I would have thought franchises would be the same across them all.


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[Paddler Ed]

Yes and no.....I would have thought franchises would be the same across them all.

Big4, Top Parks etc aren't franchised in the same way that Domino's etc are; they're fully independent units that just market under a common franchise standard which normally relates to facilities rather than operating standards.

[BBull]

Wake up Australia. We are the reason for these safety standards being so legistrated.
We have gone so far in one direction in safety that we can't go back so it's only going to get worse.
Safety is a nessesary evel and the problem is people with no idea are the ones running with all these ideas. Get used to it people it's only going to get worse from here.

[Andosan]

There needs to be clarification on some points in this thread:

1.  Australian Standards are not law unless they are referenced in a statute like an act or regulation.

2.  OH&S regulations only apply to workplaces.  A caravan park could be a workplace but not for the tenants/guests.

3.  Tagging and testing is method of reducing risk, not eliminating it.  As has been pointed out by others, a tagged device could suffer damage immediately after tagging that would render it unsafe, but the inspection period puts a cap on how long it can go without detection.

Nonetheless there is nothing stopping a Park from having it as a requirement but it's pretty hard to enforce consistently.

[corndog]

Does all this mean I have to pack my hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, hi vis shirt, long pants, steel cap boots and do a swm and tool box before I book into the caravan park at Christmas or not?

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

Ask them the hours so you can do the site orientation course, when you get there.

[gronk]

Does all this mean I have to pack my hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, hi vis shirt, long pants, steel cap boots and do a swm and tool box before I book into the caravan park at Christmas or not?

What ??   You mean you don't already do all that ??  The rare times I visit a van park, it makes sense to me !!

[Bird]

Ask them the hours so you can do the site orientation course, when you get there.