Kit list by trade
Safety gear for electricians
What PPE do electricians need in Australia?
Electrical work usually means non metallic footwear, arc and flame rated or antistatic clothing where the task calls for it, eye protection rated under AS/NZS 1337.1, insulated or mechanical protection gloves matched to the job, and hi-vis where the work is on a construction site or near traffic.
Key takeaways
- Composite toe boots use non metallic toecaps and hardware, which is why they come up first for electrical and metal detection work.
- A garment described as antistatic and a garment described as flame resistant are two separate properties, assessed under two separate designations.
- Eye protection sold in Australia states an impact rating under AS/NZS 1337.1, and the rating belongs to the whole protector, lens and frame together.
- Nothing on this page replaces your electrical safety rules, a risk assessment, or the testing and certification your work requires.
Why do electricians choose composite toe boots?
Composite toecaps and non metallic hardware are the reason. A composite toe delivers toe protection without steel, which suits work around metal detection and reduces cold transfer in winter. Check the toe type and the AS/NZS 2210.3 code set on the listing before ordering.
Toe type is the first decision. Composite is non metallic and usually a little bulkier for the same protection; steel is slimmer and cheaper. Both can be certified under AS/NZS 2210.3, because the standard is about what the toecap does, not what it is made from.
Closure is the second. Zip sided boots come on and off quickly for site inductions and van work, and most zip sided boots keep a lace as well so the fit can still be set.
Any electrical hazard claim belongs to the specific boot rather than to the range, so check the code set printed on the product you are actually ordering.
What should an electrician look for in work shirts and trousers?
Look at three things on the listing: whether the garment states a flame resistant rating, whether it states an antistatic reference such as AS/NZS 1020, and whether it states a UPF rating under AS/NZS 4399 for outdoor work. Many Australian drill garments state all three separately.
Flame resistant and antistatic are separate properties with separate designations. A garment can carry one, both, or neither, and the listing will name each one it carries.
For outdoor and rooftop work in Sydney summers, a vented lightweight drill shirt with a stated UPF rating is the combination most Australian ranges are built around.
Where work is on a construction site or near traffic, the garment also needs a hi-vis class under AS/NZS 4602.1, which is a separate marking again.
Which gloves and eye protection suit electrical work?
Match the glove to the actual hazard. Mechanical protection gloves rated under EN 388 or AS/NZS 2161 cover cuts and abrasion during installation work. Insulating gloves for live work are a separate category with their own testing and inspection regime, and are not interchangeable with mechanical gloves.
Check the EN 388 code or the AS/NZS 2161 part on the glove itself. Where a maker does not publish a cut level, treat the glove as unrated for cut rather than assuming a level from the material.
Eye protection listings state an impact rating under AS/NZS 1337.1. Clear lenses suit switchboard and roof space work; polarised or tinted lenses suit outdoor work but are not a substitute for the impact rating.
Do electricians need hard hats and height safety gear?
On a construction site, yes, and the site rules decide. Hard hats sold in Australia state a type marking under AS/NZS 1801, and any accessory such as earmuffs or a visor has to be one the helmet manufacturer intends. Work on roofs or from a ladder brings fall protection into scope under AS/NZS 1891.
Bump caps are a different product from a hard hat and are not a substitute for one where an impact hazard exists. Listings state which they are.
A harness on its own is not a fall arrest system. Anchorage, connectors, clearance and a rescue plan are all part of it, and none of them come from a product page.
What is different about electrical work in Sydney?
Nothing changes the standards, but two practical things shape the kit. Sydney summers push crews towards vented, lightweight garments with a stated UPF rating, and a large share of the work is on construction sites, which brings hi-vis class and hard hat rules from the site into every order.
In New South Wales the work health and safety regulator is SafeWork NSW, and the rules are the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW). Other states and territories have their own regulator and their own regulation.
Licensing and electrical safety requirements are separate from PPE selection and sit with NSW Fair Trading and the relevant electrical safety rules. This hub does not cover licensing.
Where to start
Guides for this trade
- King Gee Onyx 6CZ EH zip sided composite toe safety boot
- Hard Yakka X Range Mid composite toe safety boot
- Steel Blue Argyle zip boot, composite toe, 317532
- Bisley APEX 160 FR ripstop vented hi-vis shirt
- Syzmik ZW180 FR lightweight hi-vis ripstop shirt
- Bisley cool lightweight drill shirt, short sleeve
- Force360 Air safety spec clear
- Force360 armour mechanics glove
- Force360 premium Type 1 vented ratchet hard hat
Frequently asked questions
Are composite toe boots as strong as steel toe boots?
Both can be certified to AS/NZS 2210.3, and the standard sets what the toecap has to withstand rather than what it is made from. Composite caps are non metallic and often slightly bulkier for the same protection; steel caps are usually slimmer. Read the code set on the listing.
Do electricians have to wear hi-vis?
Where the work is decides. On a construction site or near traffic, the site rules and the risk assessment usually require a hi-vis garment with a stated class under AS/NZS 4602.1. In a domestic switchboard or a factory, hi-vis may not be required at all.
What is the difference between antistatic and flame resistant clothing?
Antistatic clothing is designed to dissipate static charge, and Australian listings name AS/NZS 1020 or the European EN 1149 series for it. Flame resistant clothing is assessed against different designations entirely. One does not imply the other, so read both lines on the listing.
Which boots suit metal detection areas?
Boots with a composite toecap and non metallic hardware, because there is no steel in the toe, shank or eyelets to trigger a detector. Listings in these guides state whether the hardware is non metallic. Check the specific product rather than assuming from the range name.