Mandatory Licensing

What Is the Point of Attachment?

The Point of Attachment (POA) is where the power from the street connects to your property. It is usually a metal bracket or mount fixed to the roof or fascia. It is the entry point of your home’s electrical supply and remains live at all times.

Because of this, any work carried out within about one metre of the POA is legally classed as high risk electrical work.

Why Birdproofing Is Considered Electrical Work”

Birdproofing may appear to be a minor maintenance task, but it directly involves the solar electrical installation. Every part of a solar array including the frame and wiring forms part of a live DC system that carries electrical current. Installing mesh or any other material that attaches to, is fastened near or interacts with that system is legally seen as a modification to an electrical installation.

This applies to all materials not just metal. Even when non-conductive products such as plastic mesh or clips are used, installers still work within a live electrical environment where mistakes can have serious consequences. Because of this, electrical safety training and licensing are required to carry out the work safely and legally.

Examples include:

• Fixing or clipping mesh or hardware to solar panel frames

• Working near or around live DC cabling and electrical junctions

• Installing within one metre of the POA or any other live connection point

Why It Is Dangerous

Electricity does not need to be touched to cause harm. It can jump or arc through the air to nearby objects. A single misplaced clip or piece of mesh that touches a solar frame or the POA can energise the frame of a building or the entire solar array.

The result can be devastating…

• Death by electrocution

• Severe injury

• Electrical fires or system failure

• Voided solar and home insurance warranties

This is why every Australian state and territory classifies birdproofing as electrical work when it involves or is near a solar installation.

The Legal Requirement

By law, only licensed electricians or those working directly under their supervision can perform or oversee solar birdproofing work.

Each state’s electrical safety legislation confirms this:

• NSW Fair Trading under the Home Building Act 1989 and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004

• Energy Safe Victoria under the Electricity Safety Act 1998

• Workplace Health and Safety Queensland under the Electrical Safety Act 2002

• WorkSafe WA under the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991

• SafeWork SA under the Electricity Act 1996

All reference the same principle:

“Any work involving the alteration repair maintenance or attachment of materials to an electrical installation must be carried out by a person holding an appropriate electrical licence.”

The Electrical Safety Office (ESO)

In Queensland all electrical work is regulated and enforced by the Electrical Safety Office (ESO) under the Electrical Safety Act 2002. The ESO is the government authority responsible for licensing, inspections and enforcement of electrical safety laws. It confirms that any work involving the installation, alteration or fastening of materials to a solar array or any task performed within one metre of a live connection such as the POA is classed as electrical work.

This applies regardless of the materials used. Even when non-conductive products are installed, workers are still in a live electrical environment where the risk of contact or arcing is real. For this reason, only a licensed electrician or someone directly supervised by one can perform this type of work.

If unlicensed people perform these tasks the ESO can issue fines, stop-work notices or prosecute both the installer and the homeowner. Penalties can reach up to $40,000 for individuals and $600,000 for businesses with further prosecution possible where death or serious injury occurs.

Doing It the Right Way

Australian Solar Mesh operates under all required electrical and pest control licences. Every installation we complete is carried out legally, safely and in full compliance with Australian standards and state regulations.

When work falls within one metre of the Point of Attachment or involves attaching any material to a solar installation it is performed or directly supervised by a licensed electrician. This ensures the work meets all electrical safety requirements, protects your solar warranty and maintains complete compliance with state laws.

Our licensing framework guarantees that every project is handled by qualified professionals not subcontractors or unlicensed operators so you can have total confidence that your solar protection system is installed correctly, lawfully and safely from start to finish.

This ensures:

• Full compliance with Australian law

• Preservation of solar and electrical warranties

• Safety for families and homes

A Message to Homeowners

Companies offering cheap solar birdproofing often do so because they are not licensed to perform electrical work. They may seem like a bargain but they are gambling with safety and lives.

Working around live electrical systems without proper licensing is not maintenance. It is illegal and dangerous. If your installer cannot show you a valid electrical licence they have no legal right to touch your solar system.

Protect your investment and more importantly protect human life. Electrical licensing is not an option. It is the law.

Legal Liability of the Homeowner

Under Australian law the person who engages unlicensed electrical work can be held legally responsible if an accident occurs. This includes homeowners who allow unlicensed installers to perform birdproofing or any modification to a solar electrical system. If an incident results in injury, death or property damage, the homeowner may face prosecution, fines and insurance refusal because they authorised unsafe and illegal work on a live electrical installation.

Hiring an unlicensed person to carry out electrical or pest control work puts lives at risk and transfers full liability to the property owner. Always confirm that the company you engage holds current electrical and pest control licences before any work begins.