The Director of Equipment Safety and Licensing at the Electrical Safety Office, Brian Richardson has been awarded Standards Australia’s W.R Hebblewhite Medal.
The Medal recognises the outstanding contribution of an individual in their field.
The winner is chosen based on their demonstrated leadership, technical advice, and the positive effects their work has made on the industry and community.
Mr Richardson (pictured) was acknowledged for his contribution and foresight to safety.
In a statement accompanying the award, Standards Australia said Mr Richardson had been employed by the Electrical Safety Office since 2002 and had played a leading role in assessing hundreds of electrical safety incidents in Queensland.
“His knowledge of product safety has positioned him as an industry expert in driving conversations with affiliated safety agents to create new standards to improve the lives of countless Queenslanders,” Standards Australia said.
“His career has seen him represent the community’s needs on a number of committees and his experience has contributed to the drafting of standards for DC isolators and other solar PV renewable equipment and installations.”
It said this had resulted in a reduction in the number of reported fires involving solar equipment.
Head of the Electrical Safety Office, Donna Heelan said without an effective working State, Queensland stagnated.
“It’s easy to say we attract and retain the best in field, but this award recognises that we really do have some of the brightest and most dedicated talent in the country,” Ms Heelan said.
Mr Richardson said that in the future, power grids might very well operate as a back-up system as micro communities leveraged their ability to generate and transfer energy from their household renewable systems to power not only their own homes but others in the street as well.
“As the country looks towards solar and renewables, potential hydrogen solutions and battery storage to offset the technology needs of the everyday household, we will need strong safety standards to fully realise these opportunities, while maintaining a safe environment for Queenslanders,” Mr Richardson said.
“The work of the office delivers these types of opportunities and gives us a glimpse of what’s possible,” he said.
