Energy Safety has revised the lists of High-risk and Medium-risk Declared Articles under the Electricity (Safety) Regulations. These are published in two Gazette notices dated 17 March 2016. These notices fully supersede the previous notices issued in 2006. The definitions that apply are principally those agreed and documented in AS/NZS 4417.

All current Medium-risk Declared Articles remain Medium-risk Declared Articles.

The additions to the list of Medium-risk Declared Articles come into effect on 4 May 2016.

Medium-risk Declared Articles have to have a Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) as required by Regulation 83. The additions are:

• DC isolators,
• battery powered portable tools, and battery operated electric fence energisers,
• appliances for skin exposure to ultraviolet radiation,
• garage door openers, and drives for gates, doors and windows,
• glue guns,
• air-conditioners,
• electrically powered toys, and socket outlet mounted nightlights,
• lithium-ion/polymer (LiPO) batteries,
• extra low voltage luminaires.

These join hover-boards which were added earlier this year.

Modelling has identified these items as having characteristics that put them in the medium risk category. Most of these items have been involved in safety-related incidents.

Australian electricity safety regulators are considering proposals to implement many of these items in a corresponding risk category.

All current High-risk Declared Articles remain High-risk Declared Articles.

The additions to the list of High-risk Declared Articles come into effect on 1 January 2017.

High-risk Declared Articles have to be ‘Approved’ or have equivalent certification as required under Regulation 84.

Additions are being made to the list of High-Risk Declared Articles in preparation of the full implementation of the Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS) scheme. The additions are all Australian Level 3 (the equivalent of New Zealand’s High Risk) declared articles. Energy Safety has undertaken modelling that confirms these products require intensive control in an aligned regime.

Note that the provisions of Regulation 83A and 86A implement the full recognition of the EESS scheme for both the Medium-risk and High-risk Declared Articles. Therefore the New Zealand implementation date for the high risk notice coincides with the Australian implementation of the revised definitions in AS/NZS 4417:2012 including Amendment 2.

For the details of the changes refer to the Energy Safety website.

Worksafe New Zealand (Energy Safety) has initiated a business improvement programme of work to review industry-specific cited and non-cited Electrical Codes of Practice and Gas Codes of Practice (‘Codes’). This is to ensure that the content is still valid and to determine (subject to public consultation) whether they should be revoked, revised or reconfirmed.  Codes and specifications in high demand and those referenced or cited in legislation should be frequently revised to ensure they remain up-to-date.

This work will ensure Codes of Practice meet the needs of users and are relevant to the New Zealand environment.

Read more here.

In March, Standards New Zealand and Standards Australia published another two joint gas appliance standards, bringing the total published to four:

• AS/NZS 5263.1.1:2016 Gas appliances Part 1.1: Domestic gas cooking appliances
• AS/NZS 5263.1.2:2016 Gas appliances Part 1.2: Gas fired water heaters for hot water supply and/or central heating
• AS/NZS 5263.1.3:2016 Gas appliances Part 1.3: Gas space heating appliances
• AS/NZS 5263.1.7:2016 Gas appliances Part 1.7: Domestic outdoor gas barbecues.

These standards contain the specific requirements necessary to ensure gas appliances, within scope of each standard, are safe and compliant when used with gases available in New Zealand. Respectively, they supersede the following Australian Standards (including any amendments): AS 4551–2008, AS 4552–2005, AS 4553–2008 and AS 4557–2004.

Users of these standards responsible for specifying appliances supplied in the New Zealand and Australian markets should note that AS/NZS 5263.1.1 now includes a requirement for flame safeguards (‘flame failure’) on all burners – including gas hobs. This requirement comes into place from 1 July 2017 to provide sufficient time for manufacturers and suppliers to implement the necessary changes.

Energy Safety anticipates when Schedule 2A of the Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations is amended, to recognise certification to these standards, there will be a transition period during which certification to the earlier standard will be recognised.