Dangerous roof wiring practice
The Electrical Safety Office is warning workers about wiring practices undertaken before the 1986 edition of the Wiring Rules for situations like shallow-pitched or flat roofs.
In houses that have high pitched ceilings or shallow-pitched or almost flat roofs, wiring may have been installed directly under the roof cladding and running over the top of the roofing beams.
The dangers from this installation practice arise when subsequent maintenance or repair of the roof involves screwing or nailing through the sheeting, or new roofing material being installed over the top of the current roof. A screw or nail can penetrate an electrical cable and liven the roof with disastrous effects for anyone coming into contact.
The 1986 and subsequent editions of the Wiring Rules now specifically prohibit the installation of commonly used wiring systems below a roof or roof cladding.
It is vital that all roofing, plumbing and building contractors as well as home handypersons engaged in maintaining, repairing or replacing roofs, should carefully check the roof cavity – especially of shallow-pitched roofs – for wiring that is run directly underneath the roof sheeting.
Where this type of situation exists it should be suggested to the owner that they engage an electrical contractor to re-route the cables.
If in doubt, the contractor or homeowner should contact a licensed electrical contractor to confirm the safety of the electrical cabling in the roof cavity.
Last updated 3 October 2008
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