As many members will already be aware, a draft revision of AS4836 "Safe working on or near low-voltage and extra-low voltage electrical installations and equipment" was released for public comment last year. The proposed changes were particularly relevant for our members undertaking electrical thermography inspections and there were some areas of particular concern as the standard sought to introduce requirements/recommendations that made compliance either impractical, unduly onerous, or virtually impossible. AUSPTA, NECA, and other industry groups submitted various comments and suggestions around these concerns. Some were taken up by the Standards Committee, but regrettably many were not.

The new standard, AS4836:2023, can be purchased via Standards Australia's web-store. Unfortunately due to licensing and copyright restrictions AUSPTA is unable to share the full document in it's entirety. We strongly encourage all members undertaking electrical thermography to familiarise themselves with the new Standard and the subsequent impact on regulatory compliance for their operations. This will vary from state to state; some state regulators mandate compliance with AS4836, whereas for others it is a recommendation only.