Electricity Safety Management Schemes
Electricity Safety Management Schemes (ESMS) are a non-prescriptive form of regulation that enables industry to improve on the efficiency of its operation without compromising safety standards.
Legislation
The Electricity Safety Act 1998 (the Act) enables voluntary ESMSs to be submitted to Energy Safe Victoria by employers of electrical workers, occupiers of specific premises and owners of complex electrical installations.
The Act also requires that all Major Electricity Companies have an ESMS.
Part 10 of the Electricity Safety Act1998 (the Act) contains provisions relating to ESMS.
Electricity Safety Management Schemes - guidelines for employer operators
In the interests of certainty for both ESV and the ESMS operators this document seeks to provide some guidance on the type of information ESV would consider relevant to the consideration of an Electricity Safety Management Scheme. Ideally there should be very little requirement for ESV to seek additional information.
The basic philosophy of the scheme is that the Electricity Safety Management Scheme will demonstrate three things. Firstly, the Scheme Operators have built safety procedures into all aspects of the processes. Secondly, the Electricity Safety Management Scheme is used and enforced within the business. Thirdly, the Electricity Safety Management Scheme produces measurable results.
Note: These guidelines are intended for employer operators who wish to apply for a voluntary ESMS for their electrical workers, premises or complex electrical installations.
Reporting guidelines for major electricity companies
ESV has produced reporting guidelines to assist the major electricity companies (MECs) in classifying reportable incidents and to provide an outline for statistical reporting. Separate guidelines are available for the Distribution Businesses (DBs) and for Transmission Companies that are declared as MECs.
The following documents are available to download:
More information
To contact ESV on ESMS issues, please email esms@esv.vic.gov.au.