SANS 10142-1 Demystified: How South African Electrical Standards Protect Your Workplace

If you manage a facility, oversee a building, or sit in a safety officer role anywhere in South Africa, the phrase SANS 10142-1 has probably crossed your desk more than once. But for a document that carries genuine legal weight, it is surprisingly misunderstood. Most people know they need to comply with it. Fewer can explain what it actually requires, why it exists, or how it connects to the broader network of electrical safety law in the country.

This article breaks that down in plain language, without the regulatory jargon that tends to make these topics harder to act on than they need to be.

What SANS 10142-1 Actually Is

SANS 10142-1 is South Africa’s Code of Practice for the Wiring of Premises. Published by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), it sets out the technical and safety requirements for electrical installations in buildings across the country. It covers everything from how cables must be routed and protected to the correct specifications for earthing, circuit protection, and switchgear.

The standard applies to new installations, alterations to existing systems, and any inspection process that results in a Electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC). If an electrician signs off on an installation in South Africa, they are certifying that it meets the requirements laid out in this document. That is not a professional courtesy. It is a legal obligation.

SANS 10142-1 does not exist in isolation. It operates as part of a wider regulatory framework that includes the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act), specifically the Electrical Installation Regulations that fall under that Act, and the Electrical Machinery Regulations that govern the safe operation of electrical equipment in the workplace. Together these instruments define what legal compliance actually looks like for any building or facility where people work or live.

The Link Between SANS 10142-1 and the OHS Act

The OHS Act South Africa is the overarching piece of legislation that governs health and safety obligations for employers and building owners. Under the Act, any person who owns or controls an electrical installation has a duty to ensure that it is safe, properly maintained, and compliant with the relevant technical standards.

SANS 10142-1 is the standard that gives that duty its technical substance. When the Department of Labor carries out compliance inspections or investigates a workplace incident involving electricity, what they are measuring the installation against is largely the requirements of this code. A workplace that cannot demonstrate compliance with SANS 10142-1 is not simply failing a technical audit. It is potentially in breach of its obligations under the OHS Act, which carries serious consequences including fines, shutdown orders, and in extreme cases, criminal liability.

For facility managers trying to understand what practical compliance looks like day to day, this piece on what you need to know about electrical compliance in South Africa covers the essential responsibilities clearly and is a useful reference point alongside the formal regulatory text.

Why Registered Electrical Contractors Matter So Much

Not just anyone can certify that an electrical installation complies with SANS 10142-1. Only a Registered Electrical Contractor in South Africa, meaning one who is properly registered with the Electrical Contracting Board of South Africa (ECBSA) and whose work is executed by a qualified wireman, can issue a valid Certificate of Compliance.

This distinction matters more than most building owners realise. There is no shortage of unregistered operators doing electrical work in South Africa, particularly during renovations, tenant fit-outs, or property transfers. Work done by an unregistered contractor is not only potentially unsafe. It is also legally invalid from a compliance perspective. A CoC issued by someone without the appropriate registration is worthless as a document and provides no protection if something goes wrong.

If you have ever been involved in a renovation project and wondered whether it is worth cutting corners on electrical contractor selection, the answer is clearly no. This overview on hiring a qualified electrician for home renovations is aimed at a broader audience but makes the core case for checking credentials and registration before any work begins, which is advice that applies equally in South Africa’s regulatory environment.

Cape Town Electrical Bylaws: An Additional Layer

Nationally, SANS 10142-1 and the OHS Act provide the compliance floor. But in Cape Town, facility managers and property owners also need to account for the Cape Town Electrical Bylaws, which form part of the City of Cape Town’s municipal regulations and add specific local requirements on top of the national framework.

These bylaws govern aspects including the required qualifications of electricians working within the metro, mandatory inspections during construction and renovation, and the process for obtaining municipal approval for larger electrical installations. Non-compliance with Cape Town’s local regulations can result in the rejection of a CoC application, refusal to connect to municipal supply, or penalties from the City’s inspection division.

For those navigating electrical compliance specifically within the Western Cape, getting the Certificate of Compliance process right from the beginning is far more efficient than trying to fix problems after work is completed. One well-regarded resource for understanding what this process involves is the team at Electricians Cape Town, led by Director Carl Smit, who has built a strong reputation for handling compliance work correctly the first time. Their detailed guide to obtaining an ECOC in Cape Town from a reputable electrician covers the full scope of what is required under both the national standard and local bylaw requirements and is particularly useful for facility managers dealing with this for the first time.

The Role of SANS-Approved PPE in Electrical Safety Compliance

SANS 10142-1 governs the installation itself, but compliance with South African electrical safety law extends to the people doing the work and those who work around live or potentially live systems. This is where personal protective equipment (PPE) standards become directly relevant.

The OHS Act requires that PPE used in any workplace hazard scenario, including work on or near electrical installations, must be appropriate to the risk and, where relevant, compliant with applicable SANS product standards. For electrical work this means properly rated insulated tools, arc flash protective clothing, voltage-rated gloves, and appropriate eye and face protection depending on the nature of the task.

Using substandard or uncertified PPE on electrical work is not just a safety shortcut. It can constitute a breach of OHS obligations in its own right. Sourcing equipment from reputable suppliers who stock SANS-compliant protective equipment is part of maintaining a defensible compliance position. Websites likebestsafetyequipments.com carry a broad range of certified PPE suitable for electrical and general industrial environments, and are worth bookmarking for procurement teams that want to consolidate safety equipment sourcing.

Making Compliance Practical: What Facility Managers Should Actually Do

Understanding the standard is one thing. Having a functional compliance strategy is another. For most facility managers, the practical starting point is a clear picture of the current state of every electrical installation on site.

That means knowing when each section of the installation was last inspected, which CoCs are current, which areas have undergone work since the last certificate was issued, and whether all that work was carried out by a registered electrical contractor. In buildings with complex or ageing infrastructure, this audit process can reveal issues that have been sitting unresolved for years.

From there, a maintenance and inspection schedule aligned with SANS 10142-1 requirements keeps the facility in ongoing compliance rather than scrambling for certificates only when a property transaction or Department of Labour inspection triggers the need. Proactive compliance is consistently cheaper and less disruptive than reactive compliance.

It is also worth reviewing how PPE stocks align with the actual electrical risks present in the facility. A risk assessment tied to the specific systems your team works around will identify gaps in protection that generic procurement often misses.

The Standard Is There for a Reason

SANS 10142-1 is sometimes treated as a bureaucratic hurdle, one more compliance box to tick before getting on with the real work. That framing misses the point. Electrical faults are one of the leading causes of workplace fires and serious injuries in South Africa. The standard exists because real harm happens when installations are done poorly, maintained inadequately, or inspected by people who are not qualified to assess them properly.

For facility managers and safety officers who take their obligations seriously, SANS 10142-1 is not a burden. It is a blueprint. Understand what it requires, work with registered contractors who build to its specifications, keep your certificates current, and equip your team with compliant protective gear. That combination covers the technical, legal, and practical dimensions of electrical safety in one coherent approach.

Tags: Safety, Electrical Compliance, OHS Act, Workplace Safety, South Africa, Facility Management