Rules, safety certificates and working with electricity

To work with electricity is not something you just do. Current can kill and the supply must be stable for the entire society. That is why the trade is bound by rules and a number of certificates you must have before you can perform certain tasks. Here we review the most important ones — so you know what to expect.

§Certificates you typically need before the main course

Before you move on from the basic course to the main course, you normally need to be able to document a number of basic safety skills. They are about being able to act correctly if something goes wrong — and about working safely close to live electricity.

• 01First aid — so you can act correctly if a colleague is injured or gets a shock
• 02Basic fire fighting — being able to extinguish a starting fire safely.
• 03L-AUS and AUS (work under and near voltage) — the special measures when working close to or on live parts

§Who makes the rules for the education?

The education's aims and framework are set by the professional committee in the industrial sector (Industriens Fællesudvalg) which employers and employees sit together in. They decide what you should learn and which tests you should pass — so a journeyman's certificate from Skive means the same as one from Slagelse.

§Safety rules in the work itself

When working out in the utility company you follow fixed safety procedures. This includes disconnecting the voltage, ensuring it cannot be reconnected by mistake, and verifying that the system is actually de-energized before you touch it. These procedures are not up for discussion—they are what keep you and your colleagues alive.

• 01Disconnection and securing against reconnection before working
• 02Inspection of de-energized condition with approved equipment
• 03Use of correct personal protective equipment and insulated tools
• 04Clear agreements about who is responsible for the facility during work

§The difference between utilities operator and electrician

It is worth knowing that the supply operator works on the supply network itself — cables, transformer stations and monitoring — and is not the same as an authorised electrical installer who may carry out and vouch for installations at customers. The authorisation scheme for electrical installations is a separate scheme. If you want to go that way, it is something you can build on later; it is not part of the supply operator education itself.

“The rules are not there to slow you down – they are so you can go home safely from work where mistakes can cost lives.”