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act.gov.au/accessCBR
Thermal Insulation Installation and Electrical Installations
The Access Canberra Electrical Inspections team has put together this information guide for installers
and related industry professionals involved in the installation of thermal ceiling space insulation.
Where the works are included as a part of ACT Government programs such as the Sustainable
Household Scheme, the Energy Efficiency Scheme and the Residential Tenancies Amendment
Regulation 2023 (No1), then additional reporting to Access Canberra will be required. This includes
an Insulation Installation Electrical Safety Inspection Report (iiESIR) to be submitted with the
Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES form) to Access Canberra after completion of works. Further
information regarding these forms is outlined below.
Electrical Wiring System
The installation of thermal insulation in an environment which includes electrical wiring may pose
additional risk of fire to the installation, due to overheating of electrical wires and equipment. The
electrical inspections team would like to minimise these risks and any further risks and to ensure
compliance with the Electricity Safety Act 1971
. An electrician needs to conduct an assessment of
any wiring system that is affected by the installation of insulation and complete the required reports.
This assessment is required to be conducted by an ACT licensed electrician to ensure compliance
with the Australian Wiring Rules (AS/NZS 3000).
The following examples are some of (and not limited to) the items that an electrician will have to
take into consideration during the assessment:
• The current carrying capacity of installed cabling,
• Clearances around electrical equipment and appliances for heat dissipation,
• The specific load requirements of circuits.
Attached is a link to a fact sheet with further information regarding thermal ceiling and cavity
insulation : Fact Sheet Thermal roof and cavity insulation.
Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES)
After the installation has been assessed, the electrician is required by the Electrical Safety Act 1971
to submit a Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES form) to Access Canberra within 14 days. The type of
CES form submitted will depend on the work performed:
• Where no electrical work other than the safety inspection has taken place, this would
require a REPAIR category CES form. No submission fee is payable.
• Where wiring work has taken place to make the electrical installation compliant due to
the insulation activity this would be an ALTERATIONS category CES form. A submission
fee is payable.
The current Fees & Charges set by EPSDD for the classification of work performed can be found here:
Fees and charges - Planning (act.gov.au)
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Notes regarding CES forms:
• The replacement of a Halogen downlight with a LED downlight is considered a REPAIR.
• Repairs and Alterations CES forms with attached iiESIR (where required) are be submitted via
the Access Canberra smartforms portal: Certificate of Electrical Safety (act.gov.au)
• An additional check box in the category of works has been added for the sustainable
household scheme. This box must be checked at time of submission.
• To assist the Access Canberra Electrical Inspections team with contacting the correct person
for access, the CES forms must include the details of the tenant/occupant of the installation.
A link to the CES form and further information can be found here:
Electrical inspections - Build, buy or renovate (act.gov.au)
For further information regarding the booking of an inspection or general information about the CES
form, Access Canberra Electrical Inspection team can be contacted at:
or ph. 02 6207 7775.
Insulation Installation Electrical Safety Inspection Report (iiESIR)
This report must be completed for any ceiling insulation being installed or upgraded under the Residential
Tenancies Amendment Regulation 2023 (No1) or any ACT Government Programs such as the Sustainable
Household Scheme and the Energy Efficiency Scheme. A copy of the report is attached in Part A of this
guide. A link to the Sustainable Household Scheme and iiESIR can be found here:
SHS guidelines (act.gov.au)
Ceiling insulation - Climate Choices (act.gov.au)
Section A of the report should be completed by an ACT licensed electrician and a copy provided to the
property owner (or their property manager) after the initial inspection is undertaken. If electrical work is
required, Section B of the report should then also be completed by an ACT licensed electrician after
they have completed the required work and a copy of the completed form (Sections A and B)
provided to the property owner (or their property manager) and attached to the certificate of
Electrical Safety for submission to Access Canberra within 14 days of completion of works.
Insulation Installers
The Australian Standard AS:3999 Bulk Thermal Insulation-Installation Clause 4.3, requires power to
be turned off before anyone inspects or installs insulation. To deliver ceiling insulation under ACT
Government programs, contracts or regulation, insulation installers must be trained and certified
under the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC) Professional Certification Framework
.
Below are links to training organisations in the ACT that include insulation installation in their
courses, electrical safety is an important component of these courses.
Insulation Installation - Master Builders ACT (mba.org.au)
https://cit.edu.au/courses/trades/insulation_installation/SA-TS62
Also included are links from Sustainability Victoria and other jurisdictions with home insulation
health and safety information.
Home insulation health and safety | Sustainability Victoria
Home - WorkSafe ACT
SafeWork NSW | SafeWork NSW
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act.gov.au/accessCBR
Part A
Insulation Installation Electrical Safety Inspection Report
This report must be completed for any ceiling insulation being installed or upgraded under the Residential Tenancies
Amendment Regulation 2023 (No1) or any ACT Government Programs.
Section A of this report should be completed by a licensed electrician and a copy provided to the property owner (or their
property manager) after the initial inspection is undertaken.
If electrical work is required, Section B of the report should then also be completed by a licensed electrician after they
have completed the required work and a copy of the completed form (Sections A and B) provided to the property
owner (or their property manager). All electrical work must be undertaken in compliance with the ACT Electrical
Safety Act and all relevant standards, including AS/NZS 3000.
The property owner (or their property manager) should keep the completed form as evidence that an electrical safety
inspection has been undertaken and that any required work has been completed by a licensed electrician. A copy of the
completed form should also be provided to the insulation installer ahead of any insulation installation or upgrade.
A Certificate of Electrical Safety must also be submitted by the electrician to Access Canberra within 14 days as required by
the Electricity Safety Act 1971 (ACT) and a copy provided to and kept by the property owner (or their property manager).
Access Canberra undertakes audit inspections of a proportion of submitted Certificates of Electrical Safety and may
contact the property owner (or their property manager) for access using the details below.
Property Details
Property owner (or property manager) name:
Phone: Email:
Address of property inspected:
Section A
I have inspected the property’s electrical system and:
☐ no electrical work is required before insulation is installed or upgraded.
Note: Where no new work is required a Repair Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES) form must be submitted to
Access Canberra within 14 days with a copy of this report (just Section A completed) attached.
OR
☐ the following electrical work is required before insulation is installed or upgraded:
Note: Where electrical work is required an Additions/Alterations Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES) form must
submitted to Access Canberra within 14 days with a copy of this report (Sections A and B) attached after the
required work is completed.
☐ Halogen or incandescent recessed downlights are present and need to be replaced
with IC-4 rated LED lights.
Note: This is required under Residential Tenancies Amendment Regulation 2022 (No 1) and the Energy
Efficiency (Cost of Living) Improvement Act 2012
☐ Residual Current Devices (RCDs) need to be installed in circuit/s which will be
affected by the installation of ceiling insulation.
Note This is required under Residential Tenancies Amendment Regulation 2022 (No 1) and the Energy
Efficiency (Cost of Living) Improvement (Eligible Activities) Code of Practice 2022 (No2)
☐ Circuit protection rating needs to be changed to allow for effects of thermal
insulation on the wiring system (de-rating)
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☐ Additional circuits need to be added to allow high use areas to continue to function
correctly after de-rating.
☐ Other
(Please specify in text box below or attach a separate report):
AND (if applicable)
☐ The following additional electrical work not due to the installation or upgrade of
insulation is also required, e.g. unsafe wiring needs to be repaired.
(Please specify in text box below or attach a separate report):
Electrical contracting company name:
(or insulation installation company name where they directly employ the electrician)
Phone: Email:
Name of electrician performing the inspection:
Licence number: Date:
__________________________________________________________________________________
Section B – Completed Electrical Work Report
This section is to be completed after all required electrical work specified above (and in any attached reports) has been
undertaken and before any insulation is installed or upgraded.
I confirm that all the electrical work specified above in Section A (and in any attached reports),
excluding any work that does not relate to installation or upgrade of insulation, has been completed.
Electrical contracting company name:
(or insulation installation company name where they directly employ the electrician)
Phone: Email:
Name of the electrician who has undertaken the work:
Licence number: Date:
Note: An Additions/Alterations Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES) form must be submitted to Access Canberra within 14
days with a copy of this report (Sections A and B) attached.
Questions?
Contact the Climate Choices team for general advice on
13 22 81 or email SH[email protected]v.au.
