What happens if you don’t have safety switches?

Without safety switches (RCDs), your home has no automatic protection from electric shock. If a fault occurs, power won’t disconnect quickly enough to prevent injury or fire. Safety switches are now required on all final circuits in Victorian homes.

Switchboards And Safety Switches

Safety switches are one of the most important parts of your home’s electrical system—and if your switchboard doesn’t have them, you’re relying on luck.

We see this all the time in older homes across Footscray, Braybroook and Yarraville. They have older home owners who have not renovated or updated their homes in decades.
A fuse box with ceramic fuses, cotton wrapped wiring or basic breakers might still “work”but it won’t protect you or your family from electric shock.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. What Is a Safety Switch?

A safety switch, also known as a Residual Current Device (RCD), monitors the flow of electricity in real time. If it detects that current is leaking—say, through a damaged wire or through a person—it cuts power in milliseconds.

That tiny difference in reaction time is the reason safety switches save lives. Breakers and fuses trip on overcurrent; safety switches trip on danger.

2. How to Check If You Have Safety Switches

Open your switchboard and look for labels like:

• “Safety Switch”
• “RCD”
• A TEST button on the breaker

If none of your breakers have a test button—or you see ceramic fuses instead—you don’t have RCD protection.

We cover this as part of our Switchboard Upgrade Services.

3. Why No Safety Switches Is a Problem

Electric shock risk

Without an RCD, if a live wire contacts a person or a metal surface, the power stays on. The fuse or breaker won’t trip fast enough to prevent shock.

No protection against appliance faults

If a faulty toaster or washing machine leaks current, it can energise nearby metal surfaces or cause injury. RCDs detect that fault immediately.

Doesn’t meet current standards

All homes built or renovated after 1991 in Victoria must have safety switches on power circuits. As of 2007, this also applies to lighting circuits.

More details can be found in the Energy Safe Victoria guide.

4. Common Signs Your Board Is Outdated

• No “TEST” buttons on breakers
• Ceramic fuses still in use
• Power points buzzing or warm
• Only one circuit for the whole house
• No space for additional breakers
• Flickering lights or tripping when using appliances

If you’re experiencing these issues, head to our switchboard service page, we can inspect and quote on the spot.

5. What We Do When Upgrading

We’ll:

• Inspect your current board and circuits
• Remove ceramic fuses or outdated breakers
• Install combination RCBOs (breaker + safety switch in one)
• Label each circuit clearly
• Provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety upon completion
• Coordinate any temporary power shutdowns if needed

We can also split lighting and power across separate circuits, improving safety and system performance.

6. Do You Need to Upgrade the Whole Board?

In most cases, yes. Adding safety switches to an old board isn’t always practical or safe.
We often recommend replacing the full board if:

• You still have rewireable fuses
• There are signs of overheating or corrosion
• You want to add more circuits or appliances
• Your insurance provider requires it for coverage

FAQs

Are safety switches legally required?

Yes, for all new homes and major renovations. Older homes must have them added when significant electrical work is done.

How often should safety switches be tested?

Every 3 months. Press the TEST button to make sure it trips. If it doesn’t, it’s faulty and must be replaced.

Can I keep my old fuse box and just add one RCD?

Technically yes, but it’s rarely recommended. Old fuse boards aren’t designed for modern circuit protection.

Will my power be off during the upgrade?

Yes, but only temporarily. We minimise downtime and coordinate with your energy distributor if needed.

Get Your Switchboard Upgraded

If your switchboard doesn’t have safety switches, you’re running your home without modern protection. One fault could lead to shock, fire, or worse.

We can upgrade your board quickly, cleanly and with full certification so your home meets today’s safety expectations, not yesterday’s.

Switchboard Upgrades Melbourne