❓ Question regarding electrical safety in Housing Authority properties across WA regions, including inspections and identification of unsafe properties due to electrical issues. The answer provides data on property numbers, inspection rates, and fault-finding work orders.
AnsweredQoN 5653Legislative Assembly
Asked
15 October 2019
Member
Portfolio
Housing; Veterans Issues; Youth; Asian Engagement
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the electrical fault that caused a tenant harm at a Housing Authority property in Beldon in March 2018. For each of the following regions: North Metropolitan, South Metropolitan, South East Metropolitan, South West, West Kimberley, East Kimberley, Wheatbelt, Goldfields, Mid-West, Pilbara, Great Southern, and Aboriginal Housing Services Regional Remote, I ask: (a) How many properties are managed by the Housing Authority; (b) How many Housing Authority properties have been checked for electrical circuit abnormalities, faults or deterioration, for each year: (i) 2017-18; and (ii) 2018-19; and (c) How many Housing Authority properties were deemed unsafe for reasons relating to electrical abnormalities, faults or deterioration, for each year: (i) 2017-18; and (ii) 2018-19?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
26 November 2019
Responded by
Minister for Housing; Veterans Issues; Youth; Asian Engagement
Response time
12 days
(a) As at 30 June 2019, the Department of Communities (Communities) manages more than 44,000 properties in Western Australia, including Government Regional Officers’ Housing, Public Housing, and Aboriginal Housing Service properties.
The table below shows the breakdown of the number of properties managed by the Housing Authority, by region/ contract area, as at 30 June 2019:
Public Housing
Government Regional Officers’ Housing
Aboriginal Housing Services
Total
North Metro
11735
1
0
11736
South Metro
6963
30
0
6993
South East Metro
6875
8
0
6883
Great Southern
1149
257
0
1406
Southwest
2494
197
1238
3929
Goldfields
1065
808
646
2519
Midwest/Gascoyne
1664
586
0
2250
Pilbara
1408
1352
484
3244
West Kimberley
1294
868
115
2277
Wheatbelt
1031
510
228
1769
East Kimberley
619
424
0
1043
TOTAL
36297
5041
2711
44049
(b) Each year all properties managed by Communities are subject to a ‘365 Function Test’ on Residual Current Devices (RCD) and smoke alarms.
In addition, in 2016, the Housing Authority implemented an Electrical Safety Device Program to ensure that properties owned by the Department met relevant Electrical Safety Device legislation.
(i) During 2017-18, a total of 29,348 properties were either inspected through the Departments’ Electrical Safety Device Program or inspected as a result of a work order which certified the compliance of electrical safety devices. (ii) During 2018-19, a total of 26,917 properties were either inspected through the Departments’ Electrical Safety Device Program or inspected as a result of a work order which certified the compliance of electrical safety devices.
The table below shows the breakdown of the number of properties checked for electrical circuit abnormalities, faults or deterioration, by year by individual region/contract area.
2017-2018
2018-2019
East Kimberley
1,269
1,135
Goldfields
1,271
1,635
Great Southern
907
622
Midwest/Gascoyne
1,858
1,240
North Metro
9,230
7,292
Pilbara
1,948
1,512
South East Metro
4,548
2,523
South Metro
2,806
6,632
Southwest
2,576
1,228
West Kimberley
1,971
2,302
Wheatbelt
964
796
TOTAL
29,348
26,917
(c)-(ii) As a result of the works associated with the compliance of electrical safety devices, a number of properties had electrical ‘fault find’ work orders issued to resolve the faults identified.
The table below shows the breakdown of the number of properties which had electrical ‘fault find’ work orders issued, by year:
2017-2018
2018-2019
East Kimberley
4
8
Goldfields
6
1
Great Southern
2
3
Midwest/Gascoyne
7
6
North Metro
23
16
Pilbara
6
7
South East Metro
15
9
South Metro
12
6
Southwest
10
4
West Kimberley
12
15
Wheatbelt
3
5
TOTAL
100
80
A ‘find fault’ work order may be issued for various reasons such as, but not limited to:
Where a property is found unsafe and requires work to rectify an electrical abnormality, fault or deterioration, a contractor will isolate the affected circuit immediately and undertake work to ensure the problem is rectified. In exceptional circumstances, immediate temporary re-location will be provided for tenants for a short term. For longer term problems, relocation to an alternate property will be provided.
The table below shows the breakdown of the number of properties managed by the Housing Authority, by region/ contract area, as at 30 June 2019:
Public Housing
Government Regional Officers’ Housing
Aboriginal Housing Services
Total
North Metro
11735
1
0
11736
South Metro
6963
30
0
6993
South East Metro
6875
8
0
6883
Great Southern
1149
257
0
1406
Southwest
2494
197
1238
3929
Goldfields
1065
808
646
2519
Midwest/Gascoyne
1664
586
0
2250
Pilbara
1408
1352
484
3244
West Kimberley
1294
868
115
2277
Wheatbelt
1031
510
228
1769
East Kimberley
619
424
0
1043
TOTAL
36297
5041
2711
44049
(b) Each year all properties managed by Communities are subject to a ‘365 Function Test’ on Residual Current Devices (RCD) and smoke alarms.
In addition, in 2016, the Housing Authority implemented an Electrical Safety Device Program to ensure that properties owned by the Department met relevant Electrical Safety Device legislation.
(i) During 2017-18, a total of 29,348 properties were either inspected through the Departments’ Electrical Safety Device Program or inspected as a result of a work order which certified the compliance of electrical safety devices. (ii) During 2018-19, a total of 26,917 properties were either inspected through the Departments’ Electrical Safety Device Program or inspected as a result of a work order which certified the compliance of electrical safety devices.
The table below shows the breakdown of the number of properties checked for electrical circuit abnormalities, faults or deterioration, by year by individual region/contract area.
2017-2018
2018-2019
East Kimberley
1,269
1,135
Goldfields
1,271
1,635
Great Southern
907
622
Midwest/Gascoyne
1,858
1,240
North Metro
9,230
7,292
Pilbara
1,948
1,512
South East Metro
4,548
2,523
South Metro
2,806
6,632
Southwest
2,576
1,228
West Kimberley
1,971
2,302
Wheatbelt
964
796
TOTAL
29,348
26,917
(c)-(ii) As a result of the works associated with the compliance of electrical safety devices, a number of properties had electrical ‘fault find’ work orders issued to resolve the faults identified.
The table below shows the breakdown of the number of properties which had electrical ‘fault find’ work orders issued, by year:
2017-2018
2018-2019
East Kimberley
4
8
Goldfields
6
1
Great Southern
2
3
Midwest/Gascoyne
7
6
North Metro
23
16
Pilbara
6
7
South East Metro
15
9
South Metro
12
6
Southwest
10
4
West Kimberley
12
15
Wheatbelt
3
5
TOTAL
100
80
A ‘find fault’ work order may be issued for various reasons such as, but not limited to:
Where a property is found unsafe and requires work to rectify an electrical abnormality, fault or deterioration, a contractor will isolate the affected circuit immediately and undertake work to ensure the problem is rectified. In exceptional circumstances, immediate temporary re-location will be provided for tenants for a short term. For longer term problems, relocation to an alternate property will be provided.
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