Worksafe

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In this issue

Notices of Prohibition - unsafe TPS cables
Changes to the wiring rules
How the changes to the standard affect the markings on downlights

Notice of Prohibition – unsafe TPS cables

We have been investigating electrical building wiring cables following a complaint received on the compliance of a particular TPS cable.

We identified that TPS cable marked with EESS-150102-0 is electrically unsafe.

Testing of this cable indicates that the insulation will become prematurely brittle and be prone to fracture, resulting in a high electric shock and/or fire risk, to any person or thing that comes into contact with the cable.

The unsafe TPS cable may have been supplied and installed by Lyon Electrical Ltd.

We recently published two prohibition notices on the supply and installation and the use of this cable in the New Zealand Gazette under Regulation 87 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010. These notices prohibit the:

Sale, supply, offer of sale and installation of the unsafe TPS cable – with immediate effect.
Use of the unsafe TPS cable – to take effect in four (4) years, from 2 May 2022.

There is a significant risk of electric shock and fire to people and property where this unsafe TPS cable is installed, which will become greater as the cable ages. The second notice gives building owners four years to replace any unsafe TPS cable interval.

We therefore recommend that building owners and/or occupants who may have had electrical wiring installed or supplied by Lyon Electrical Ltd since June 2016 arrange for that wiring to be checked by an electrician to ensure any unsafe TPS cable is removed before the prohibition on use takes effect.

Changes to the wiring rules

As we noted last month, there are changes coming to the 'wiring rules' with a new edition of AS/NZS 3000:2018 to be published shortly.

Until the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 are updated to cite the 2018 edition, the 2007 edition of the standard (including its Amendments 1 and 2) must be used to ensure compliance with the Regulations.

It is likely AS/NZS 3000:2018 will be adopted into the Regulations to replace AS/NZS 3000:2007 in late 2019, and a 12-month transition to the 2018 edition will probably be applied.

How will changes to the standard affect the markings on downlights?

The standard for recessed luminaires (downlights) has been updated (AS/NZS 60598.2.2:2016), but untill the Electricity (Safety) Regulations recognise the 2018 edition of AS/NZS 3000, this update does not apply to New Zealand. AS/NZS 60598.2.2:2001 including Amendment A, still applies.

The current recessed luminaires standard (60598.2.2:2001) states that recessed luminaires must be marked with their insulation mark.

The new 2016 recessed luminaires standard introduces new markings and prevents old markings from also being applied, but this does not apply in New Zealand until the new standards are adopted into the regulations.

If you are selling recessed luminaires

Recessed luminaires are declared medium risk articles. New Zealand suppliers must have made a supplier declaration of conformity (SDoC) for this article before they are offered for sale or supply, as set out in Regulation 83.

Installation and relabelling

Until the regulations are updated, for products supplied to both the Australian and New Zealand markets, a supplier could provide an SDoC and accompanying label to meet the requirements of the current 2001 standard, along with instructions to attach the label to the product. The requirement to fit the label would constitute a manufacturer’s instruction.

Any Certificate of Compliance for the electrical work could therefore recognise the use of an SDoC and manufacturer’s instructions.

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