Supervision Practice Standard for licensed electricians supervising apprentices

Key information

• The Supervision Practice Standard (SPS) provides information for the electrical industry on appropriate levels and ratios for the supervision of electrical apprentices.
• Only a licensed electrician can supervise electrical apprentices.
• The SPS details varying levels of supervision that are appropriate depending on the experience of an apprentice, Direct, General and Broad.
• The SPS is a guideline to help businesses, licence holders and apprentices to understand their rights and obligations under the SPS and make appropriate arrangements to meet the requirements.
• The SPS has been mandatory and enforced as a condition of an electrician’s licence since 1 September 2024.

• Failure to comply with the requirements set out in the SPS can result in enforcement action by Building Commission NSW. Measures to address non-compliance include education, penalty infringement notices and disciplinary action such as fines, suspension or cancellation of a licence. However, Building Commission NSW has adopted an educative approach during the first six months of enforcement, from September 2024 to February 2025, to assist the industry to adapt to the clarified version of supervision requirements provided in the SPS. More information about Building Commission NSW enforcement approach is available via the Statement of Regulatory Intent.

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Supervision Practice Standard

The Supervision Practice Standard (SPS) acts as a guideline to help businesses, licence holders and apprentices to understand their rights and obligations. It also details the supervision requirements of electrical apprentices to achieve compliant work in a safe manner.

The SPS became a legal requirement for licence holders in September 2024.

More information is available via the Supervision Practice Standard for Apprentices in the Electrical Industry.

Levels of supervision

Supervisors should ensure that the tasks assigned to the apprentice and the supervision level applied in the circumstances is appropriate given how experienced the apprentice is.

There are three types of supervision, each type is different depending on the experience of an apprentice.

Direct supervision

Direct supervision is one-on-one constant supervision where supervisors must always be physically present and readily available with clear sight of the work being carried out by the person they are supervising. A ratio of 1:1 licensed electrician to electrical apprentice applies under direct supervision.

More information about Direct supervision and the Tasks is available.

General supervision

General supervision applies when the apprentice requires intermittent supervision to provide progressive guidance and monitoring. The supervisor must always remain on site and be readily available for assistance or instruction. A ratio of 1:3 licensed electrician to electrical apprentices applies under general supervision.

More information about General supervision and the Tasks is available.

Broad supervision

Broad supervision means the apprentice can carry out work under instruction and direction from the supervisor but only needs occasional face-to-face contact with their supervisor to ensure the work complies with technical requirements. A ratio of 1:5 of licensed electrician to electrical apprentices applies under broad supervision.

More information about Broad supervision and the Tasks is available.

Commonly asked questions

Why was the Supervision Practice Standard developed?

The SPS was developed as an easy-to-understand document to clarify the legal obligations of employers, supervisors and apprentices while carrying out electrical wiring work.

The SPS aims to ensure that all parties carry out work in a safe and compliant manner. This includes the appropriate levels of supervision required for particular tasks, the appropriate supervisor to apprentice ratios and any other obligations.

New or inexperienced workers such as apprentices need to be guided on how to complete work in a safe and compliant manner.

Who must follow the Supervision Practice Standard?

Any person, company or organisation acting as an employer of electrical apprentices must follow the SPS.

Licensed electricians must follow the SPS as a condition of their licence in their role as a supervisor of apprentices when performing electrical work.

Apprentices also need to follow the SPS and must ensure that they do not work beyond the scope of the tasks and supervision requirements set out in the SPS.

Is the Supervision Practice Standard mandatory?

The Supervision Practice Standard has been mandatory since 1 September 2024.

Failure to comply with the Standard may result in fines, and licence suspension or cancellation.

Can I be fined if my business does not follow the prescribed supervision ratios?

Failing to comply with the SPS may attract penalty infringement notices, and disciplinary action such as fines and penalties, or cancellation or suspension of your electrical licence.

Do these Supervision Practice Standards replace my obligations as an employer under Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation?

No, the SPS does not replace any obligations under any legislation, including the WHS legislation.

Employers or workers, including licence holders or supervisors, have additional work health and safety duties to take reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of other persons.

Electrical licence holders who supervise apprentices have concurrent obligations under work health and safety legislation and this practice standard.

What are the main obligations imposed on supervisors under the Supervision Practice Standard?

At the time work is allocated to an apprentice, supervisors must determine the appropriate level of supervision for the apprentice when carrying out tasks as specified in the SPS.

A supervisor must also ensure work is being carried out safely in accordance with procedures provided by the employer or person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) responsible for the worksite.

The supervisor must ensure all work health and safety obligations are followed and explained to the apprentice.

What are the obligations imposed on employers under the Supervision Practice Standard?

The employer has a duty to maintain a safe working environment for those they employ by providing information and training, safe work procedures, safety equipment, effective supervision, and appropriate risk and complaint management mechanisms.

Employers have an obligation to ensure that an apprentice has the necessary support and supervision by qualified, licensed and experienced electricians with relevant skills who are committed to training them. Apprentices must not be supervised by other apprentices or persons on the job site, except as allowed under the SPS.

An employer must take all reasonable steps to ensure an apprentice receives the work-based component of their required training, in particular by providing all necessary facilities and opportunities to acquire the skills and knowledge they need.

An employer will be committing an offence if they instruct an apprentice to do a task without the appropriate level of supervision or where the supervisor has not assessed them as being competent to do the task.

What ratio of licensed electrician to electrical apprentice has been prescribed under the Supervision Practice Standard?

The SPS provides different levels of supervision – Direct, General and Broad.

A prescriptive table on the SPS document is available, detailing the minimum levels of supervision depending on the apprentice's experiences and task performed.

Is this rollout of the Supervision Practice Standard a trial period? Will the document undergo any changes or refinement before it becomes mandatory?

No, the SPS is a finalised document developed after extensive consultation with peak industry bodies.

It has been released as a guidance document to give the industry time to read and understand the SPS and allow businesses to make any adaptations to comply with the obligations on supervisors.

I am a builder or a contractor who has employed electricians and electrical apprentices, what are my responsibilities under these standards?

As a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), you must continue to abide by all obligations under the WHS legislation. The SPS does not diminish or override your WHS obligations as a PCBU.

In their day-to-day learning and work on the job, electrical apprentices must be supervised by an electrical licence holder who is qualified and capable of the tasks assigned to the apprentice. Therefore, a builder or contractor without an electrical licence is responsible under the SPS for ensuring that a licensed electrician is on site to supervise electrical apprentices on the worksite in accordance with the Standard.