How long is LV Rescue and CPR valid for ?

How Long Is CPR and Low Voltage Rescue Training Valid For in Western Australia?

Electrical workers, apprentices, safety observers and contractors are regularly asked whether their CPR and Low Voltage Rescue training is still current.

The nationally recognised units commonly completed together are:

• HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation

• UETDRMP018 – Perform rescue from a live low voltage panel

Many workers refer to these qualifications as their “CPR and LVR ticket”. The common assumption is that both qualifications automatically expire after 12 months.

The correct answer is more detailed.

A Statement of Attainment does not normally contain a legislated expiry date. However, Western Australian electrical-safety requirements, workplace codes of practice and employer rules can require a worker to be reassessed within a particular period.

The practical answer is:

CPR and Low Voltage Rescue training should generally be refreshed every 12 months for electrical workers and safety observers, even though WA electrical licensing regulations allow licensed electricians up to three years between approved CPR courses.

For a safety observer involved in energised electrical work, the Western Australian electrical Code of Practice specifically requires assessment within the previous 12 months in rescue and resuscitation.

Do CPR and LV Rescue certificates expire?

When a participant successfully completes HLTAID009 and UETDRMP018, they receive a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment.

The Statement records that the participant demonstrated the required knowledge and practical skills at the time of assessment. Unlike a driver’s licence, it does not necessarily display a formal expiry date.

However, the absence of an expiry date does not mean the person remains competent indefinitely.

Employers and worksites must consider whether the worker:

• has completed sufficiently recent training

• can still demonstrate the required practical skills

• understands current workplace procedures

• is familiar with the rescue equipment provided

• can respond safely without becoming another casualty

• meets electrical licensing, safety-observer and site requirements.

A certificate may remain genuine while no longer satisfying a workplace’s currency requirements.

Is CPR valid for one year or three years in Western Australia?

Both periods are relevant, but they apply in different contexts.

Annual CPR refresher recommendation

The Western Australian First aid in the workplace: Code of practice recommends that CPR refresher training be carried out annually.

This annual recommendation applies because CPR is a practical skill that should be practised regularly. Performing effective compressions, managing an airway and operating an automated external defibrillator requires more than theoretical knowledge.

Annual CPR training is therefore the normal workplace benchmark for people who may be expected to provide resuscitation.

Three-year requirement for licensed electricians

Western Australia introduced specific CPR requirements for licensed electricians in October 2024.

Under the amended Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991, licensed electricians must complete an approved CPR course within each applicable three-year completion period.

The Director of Energy Safety has approved:

HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Licensed electricians must complete the course through a Registered Training Organisation authorised to deliver the unit.

This three-year period is a legal licensing minimum. It does not prevent an employer, principal contractor, mine operator or worksite from requiring annual training.

It also does not remove the annual CPR refresher recommendation contained in the WA First Aid Code of Practice.

How long is Low Voltage Rescue training current?

The most important WA requirement applies to safety observers involved in work on or near energised electrical installations.

The Code of Practice for Persons Working on or Near Energised Electrical Installations requires a competent safety observer to be present during energised electrical work unless the risk assessment determines that there is no serious risk associated with the work.

The safety observer must:

• understand the hazards

• be competent to implement emergency controls

• be capable of rescuing the electrical worker

• have been assessed within the previous 12 months as competent to rescue and resuscitate a person

• remain focused on the observer role

• communicate effectively with the electrical worker.

For workers acting as safety observers under these circumstances, the practical validity period is therefore 12 months from their last rescue and resuscitation assessment.

This is stronger than a general industry recommendation. It is a specific competency requirement within the WA electrical Code of Practice.

Does every electrical worker legally need annual LVR and CPR training?

Not every worker is subject to exactly the same requirement.

The person’s obligations depend on:

• whether they are a licensed electrician

• whether they are performing energised electrical work

• whether they are acting as a safety observer

• the employer’s electrical-safety procedures

• the risk assessment and safe work method statement

• mine-site, construction-site or client requirements.

WorkSafe WA’s Managing electrical risks in the workplace: Code of practice states that all electrical workers and their assistants should have current Low Voltage Rescue and resuscitation skills.

This supports maintaining both skills on a regular basis.

Where the worker is acting as a safety observer for energised work, the previous-12-month assessment requirement applies.

Where the worker is not acting as a safety observer, an employer may still require annual renewal as part of its electrical-safety management system.

What is UETDRMP018?

UETDRMP018 – Perform rescue from a live low voltage panel is the nationally recognised unit covering rescue from live low-voltage electrical apparatus.

The unit applies within Electricity Supply Industry and electrical-industry environments.

It addresses the preparation and practical skills needed to respond when a person is in contact with, or incapacitated near, live low-voltage electrical equipment.

The unit does not authorise a person to perform electrical work. Electrical licensing requirements continue to apply separately.

UETDRMP018 has HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation as a prerequisite. This reflects the fact that electrical rescue and resuscitation are closely connected.

Once the casualty has been safely removed from electrical contact, immediate assessment and CPR may be required.

What does Low Voltage Rescue training cover?

A properly delivered UETDRMP018 course should involve realistic practical training and assessment.

Participants may be required to demonstrate that they can:

• identify electrical and environmental hazards

• assess danger before approaching the casualty

• call for assistance and raise the alarm

• select and use suitable personal protective equipment

• locate and operate the appropriate isolation point

• use an insulated rescue crook

• avoid direct contact with the casualty until the electrical risk is controlled

• safely release and move the casualty

• manage clothing that is burning or smouldering

• assess the casualty after the rescue

• commence CPR where required

• report the incident and follow workplace procedures.

The rescuer’s own safety is critical. A poorly planned rescue can result in a second person receiving an electric shock.

Training should therefore emphasise hazard assessment, isolation, insulated equipment and a controlled approach rather than simply pulling the casualty away.

What does HLTAID009 cover?

HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation covers the skills and knowledge needed to recognise an emergency and provide CPR in accordance with Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines.

Participants must learn to:

• recognise and assess an emergency

• protect themselves, bystanders and the casualty

• assess responsiveness

• open and clear the airway

• assess normal breathing

• contact emergency services

• perform chest compressions and rescue breaths

• use an automated external defibrillator

• place a breathing casualty in an appropriate position

• provide an accurate handover

• review and report the incident.

The practical assessment requires participants to demonstrate CPR on appropriate manikins. CPR cannot be properly assessed through a theory-only course.

Why are CPR and LVR normally trained together?

An electrical incident can cause cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, burns, trauma and loss of consciousness.

Removing the casualty from electrical contact is only the first part of the emergency response.

After the electrical hazard has been controlled, the responder may need to:

1. move the casualty to a safe location

2. assess responsiveness and breathing

3. contact emergency services

4. commence CPR

5. apply an AED

6. manage burns or other injuries

7. continue care until emergency services arrive.

This is why HLTAID009 is a prerequisite for UETDRMP018 and why the units are commonly delivered as a combined course.

Completing only CPR does not teach a person how to safely remove a casualty from live electrical equipment. Completing LVR without current CPR would leave a significant gap once the casualty has been released.

What changed for WA electricians in October 2024?

Before October 2024, CPR currency was commonly controlled through employer requirements, site rules, codes of practice and industry expectations.

Amendments to the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations introduced a direct CPR course requirement for licensed electricians.

A person who held a WA electrician’s licence when the requirements commenced must complete an approved CPR course within three years from the commencement date.

A person first licensed after the requirements commenced must complete the approved course within three years of becoming licensed.

After completing the initial course, the electrician must continue completing an approved CPR course at least once every three years while licensed.

Electricians must also retain evidence of course completion for five years. Building and Energy may audit compliance and request the course-completion record.

Currently, the approved course is HLTAID009.

Does the three-year licensing period replace annual CPR training?

No.

The three-year licensing requirement and the annual workplace recommendation serve different purposes.

The licensing regulations establish the longest ordinary completion period for the approved course for licensed electricians.

The WA First Aid Code of Practice recommends annual CPR refresher training.

The electrical Code of Practice requires a safety observer involved in energised work to have been assessed within the previous 12 months as competent to rescue and resuscitate.

An electrician may therefore satisfy the three-year licence requirement but still fail to satisfy:

• a safety-observer requirement

• an employer’s annual training policy

• a mine-site requirement

• a principal contractor’s mobilisation standard

• a client’s electrical-safety procedure.

For most electrical workers, completing combined LVR and CPR training every 12 months is the simplest way to maintain evidence of current practical competency.

When should training be refreshed earlier?

Workers should not rely only on the date printed on their Statement of Attainment.

Earlier retraining or reassessment may be appropriate when:

The worker has not practised the rescue

LVR is a time-critical practical response. Workers may forget the correct sequence if they have not practised isolation, rescue-crook use and casualty movement.

The workplace introduces different equipment

Rescue kits, switchboards, isolation devices and emergency procedures vary between workplaces.

Workers should be familiar with the actual equipment provided at their workplace.

The worker changes sites or industries

A commercial construction site, mine, industrial plant, entertainment venue and electricity network can have very different electrical hazards and emergency arrangements.

Procedures or legislation change

Workers must follow current site procedures, electrical requirements and resuscitation guidance.

The person cannot demonstrate the task

A certificate should not replace practical competence.

If the worker cannot confidently perform the rescue or CPR sequence, retraining should occur before they are appointed as a safety observer or emergency responder.

An incident or near miss occurs

An electric shock, incorrect isolation, failed rescue attempt or equipment issue should trigger a review of the emergency response arrangements and training.

Is an online-only course sufficient?

The theory component may be supported by online learning, but the practical skills must still be demonstrated and assessed.

For HLTAID009, participants must physically perform CPR on manikins and demonstrate use of an AED.

For UETDRMP018, participants must demonstrate the rescue process using suitable electrical rescue equipment in a realistic environment.

Watching a video or completing an online questionnaire does not by itself demonstrate that a person can safely perform the rescue and resuscitation tasks.

CPR and Low Voltage Rescue training in Perth

Safety Heights and Rescue Training delivers the combined:

• HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation

• UETDRMP018 – Perform rescue from a live low voltage panel

Training is conducted face to face at our Naval Base training facility in Western Australia and may also be arranged for suitable client workplaces.

Safety Heights and Rescue Training is itself RTO 52610. However, these two units are delivered under our training partnership with Healthcorp RTO 91222.

The nationally recognised Statements of Attainment for HLTAID009 and UETDRMP018 are issued under Healthcorp RTO 91222.

The practical course includes:

• electrical hazard assessment

• emergency communication

• personal protective equipment

• electrical isolation

• use of an insulated rescue crook

• casualty removal

• management of a burning or smouldering casualty

• CPR

• recovery position

• AED use

• incident reporting.

Course information and available dates can be found at:

www.rescue-training.com.au

Frequently asked questions

How long is CPR training valid for in WA?

The WA First Aid Code of Practice recommends annual CPR refresher training. Licensed electricians must also complete the approved HLTAID009 course at least once every three years under the Electricity Licensing Regulations.

How long is Low Voltage Rescue training valid for?

Safety observers involved in energised electrical work must have been assessed within the previous 12 months as competent to rescue and resuscitate. Many WA workplaces therefore require annual LVR and CPR renewal.

Does the Statement of Attainment expire after 12 months?

The document does not necessarily expire. However, the worker may no longer meet workplace, site or safety-observer currency requirements after 12 months.

Is HLTAID009 required before UETDRMP018?

Yes. HLTAID009 is the prerequisite unit for UETDRMP018.

Can I complete LV Rescue without CPR?

UETDRMP018 requires HLTAID009 as its prerequisite. Combined delivery is commonly used so both rescue and resuscitation competency can be assessed together.

Is annual training compulsory for every licensed electrician?

The licensing regulations require an approved CPR course every three years. Annual training may still be required by the electrical Code of Practice for safety observers, by the employer or by the worksite.

Who issues the certificate?

For courses booked through Safety Heights and Rescue Training, the HLTAID009 and UETDRMP018 Statements of Attainment are issued through Healthcorp RTO 91222 under the training partnership.

The practical answer

For most electrical workers in Western Australia, CPR and Low Voltage Rescue should be refreshed every 12 months.

This annual cycle:

• follows the WA recommendation for CPR refresher training

• meets the previous-12-month requirement for electrical safety observers

• aligns with common employer and worksite expectations

• provides regular practice of time-critical rescue skills.

Licensed electricians must also ensure they comply with the separate legal requirement to complete the approved HLTAID009 course at least once every three years and retain evidence of completion.

To discuss initial or annual CPR and Low Voltage Rescue training, visit www.rescue-training.com.au.

This article provides general information only. Workers and employers must also check current legislation, licensing requirements, site procedures, risk assessments and principal-contractor requirements.