Breaking down AS 5732:2022 – Electric Vehicle Operations – Maintenance and Repair

AS 5732:2022 is the Australian Standard that sets safety rules and practical guidance for servicing, maintaining, and repairing electric and hybrid vehicles. It replaced the 2015 guidance, and it now shapes how Australian workshops lay out their bays, choose PPE, and isolate high-voltage systems.

Vehicles covered by AS 5732:2022

The standard applies to all major types of alternative-fuel and electrified vehicles, including:

• Battery electric vehicles (BEVs)
• Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs)
• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)
• Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)
• Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs)

What changed in the AS 5732:2022 update

The AS 5732:2022 update closed the gap between the early 2015 guidelines and modern electric vehicle technology. The Standards Australia committee rewrote the framework because some of the safety equipment named in 2015 was never practically available, and because maintenance work had moved on a long way since.

Broader vehicle scope: coverage now explicitly includes fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), so the rules account for hydrogen and electric systems alongside BEVs, HEVs and PHEVs.

New safety framework for workshops: the standard introduced structured guidance on physical workshop setups, including mandatory layout configurations and dedicated, distraction-free decommissioning zones for depowering high-voltage systems.

Updated PPE criteria: it tightened testing and procurement requirements for insulating gloves to match modern manufacturing standards, because supply chain and compliance problems were leaving workshops short.

Modernised maintenance procedures: service, isolation and testing procedures now match current manufacturer specifications and tools that did not exist in 2015.

Emergency response equipment: the standard formalised what shop safety gear a workshop keeps on hand, such as powder and CO2 extinguishers and automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Personal protective equipment under AS 5732:2022

Under AS 5732:2022, personal protective equipment is the final line of defence for automotive technicians against electric shock and arc flash. Volt Safety groups the gear this section describes into a single electric vehicle PPE range, so a workshop can kit out a technician in one pass instead of chasing gloves, shields and mats separately.

Hand protection

• Electrical insulating gloves: technicians wear specialised rubber gloves. Standard EV maintenance calls for Class 0 gloves, which protect against working voltages up to 1,000V AC or 1,500V DC.
• Leather over-gloves: heavy-duty leather outers go directly over the rubber gloves, because punctures, tears and chemical damage destroy the insulation.
• Inner cotton liners: these sit inside the rubber gloves to absorb sweat and stop skin irritation, so the technician keeps grip and dexterity.

Head, face and eye protection

• Arc-flash rated face shield: a full face shield resists the heat, blinding light and flying debris an accidental arc flash throws out.
• Safety glasses: these sit underneath the face shield and give the eyes a second layer of impact protection.
• Non-conductive frames: any eyewear in the high-voltage zone needs non-metallic frames, since metal invites arcing.

Body

• Flame-resistant (FR) clothing: overalls and uniforms use arc-rated, flame-resistant fabric, so the material will not catch fire or melt onto skin during a fault.
• No conductive items: watches, rings, piercings, belt buckles and zips come off or get covered before work starts.

Foot and ground insulation

• Electrical hazard (EH) footwear*: safety boots with certified non-conductive soles stop a path to ground forming.
• Insulating safety mats*: high-voltage rubber matting goes on the floor where the technician stands while isolating or working on open high-voltage components.

*Best practice: this measure is a widely recognised industry standard for maximum protection. However, the text of AS 5732:2022 does not spell it out explicitly.

Workshop safety beyond PPE under AS 5732:2022

Beyond PPE, AS 5732:2022 puts real weight on physical workshop safety, structural design and emergency protocols, because the rest of the shop needs insulating from the high-voltage work as well.

Exclusion equipment and layout

• Dedicated EV service bays: workshops mark out a clear service bay with high-visibility floor markings for high-voltage work.
• Physical barriers*: temporary or permanent barriers, such as stackable safety cones and non-conductive plastic chains, close off a perimeter around the vehicle.
• Decommissioning zones: a specific, distraction-free bay handles isolation, testing and depowering of the high-voltage system.
• Authorised access only*: no public or untrained staff enter the perimeter while high-voltage tasks or testing are under way.

*Best practice: this measure is a widely recognised industry standard for maximum protection. However, the text of AS 5732:2022 does not spell it out explicitly.

Signage and vehicle tagging

• Exclusion zone signage: high-visibility danger signs, for example “Danger: High Voltage Work in Progress”, hang on the barrier chains or cones to deter entry.
• Vehicle status markers: magnetic roof signs or dashboard placards state the vehicle’s condition, such as “EV System Live” or “EV System Isolated”.
• Steering wheel covers: a warning cover locks over the steering wheel during isolation, so nobody starts or moves the vehicle.
• Lockout/tagout (LOTO): the service plug or manual disconnect goes into a lockbox with a safety tag attached, which stops anyone re-energising the vehicle while a technician works on it.

Fire and emergency response

• AED proximity: an automated external defibrillator sits permanently mounted within 200 metres of any active EV workspace, ideally close enough to deploy inside three minutes.
• Standard extinguishers: powder and CO2 extinguishers stay within reach of the EV workspace for initial electrical fires.
• Specialised suppression (with training)*: heavy-duty car fire blankets and lithium-battery extinguishers appear in the standard, but only staff trained in breathing apparatus and toxic fume hazards use them.
• Insulated rescue hooks*: a high-voltage fibreglass rescue hook sits ready outside the exclusion zone, so a rescuer can pull a shocked technician clear of a live source without becoming a second casualty.

*Best practice: this measure is a widely recognised industry standard for maximum protection. However, the text of AS 5732:2022 does not spell it out explicitly.

Who sets the AS 5732:2022 requirements

National level

At the national level, independent bodies author the safety rules, while federal departments set the data-sharing laws technicians work under. AASRA, the Australian Automotive Service and Repair Authority, runs the legal data-sharing scheme. To reach manufacturer high-voltage repair details, a technician submits proof of certified EV training, such as the national unit AURETH101.

State and territory level

AS 5732:2022 is national, but workplace health and safety law sits with state-based regulators. So if an accident happens or an inspector audits the shop, they judge the workspace against the standard under state electrical safety and workplace laws.

• Queensland: WorkSafe Queensland / Electrical Safety Office (ESO)
• New South Wales: SafeWork NSW
• Victoria: WorkSafe Victoria
• Western Australia: WorkSafe WA / Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS)
• South Australia: SafeWork SA and the Office of the Technical Regulator
• Tasmania: WorkSafe Tasmania
• Northern Territory: NT WorkSafe
• ACT: WorkSafe ACT

Private bodies and industry associations

Private member-based automotive organisations help businesses upgrade their shops, find the correct PPE, and reach compliant training programs.

• AAAA (Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association): co-authored the standard on the EM-001 technical committee, and it supports independent workshops moving into safe EV servicing.
• MTAA (Motor Trades Association of Australia): represents the automotive retail, service and repair sectors. It works closely with state MTAs, for example MTA Queensland, VACC in Victoria and MTA SA, to supply physical templates and guidance.
• AMBRA (Australian Motor Body Repairers Association): focuses on the storage and handling rules for collision and panel repair workshops.

Specialist support beyond AS 5732:2022

Industry associations support their members broadly. For a workshop that wants someone to assess its actual site, EV Safety Australia fills a different gap. It is an independent EV safety organisation working across four areas:

• Automotive technical training covering ICE, hybrid and EV platforms
• EV safety training, including awareness, first responder and site employee certification
• Advice on risk assessments, handling and storage, and workplace safety policy
• Compliance covering audits, technician assessments and equipment certification

They have consulted to major vehicle brands across Australia. So if you are standing up EV servicing capability and want someone to look at your workshop rather than hand you a template, they are the call to make.

Talk to EV Safety Australia

AS 5732:2022 in summary

AS 5732:2022 is a sound baseline, so every business doing this work should hold a copy from Standards Australia. While it mandates gloves and arc-flash protection, the specific equipment procurement lists and specialist testing regimes sit outside it. In practice, that leaves each workshop to work out its own EV PPE kit, so talk to a specialist before you buy.