Standards Australia announced that a new edition of AS/NZS 3000:2018 (the ‘wiring rules’) is expected to be published in March. Standards New Zealand is likely to approve the new standard soon.
The Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 cite AS/NZS 3000:2007 including its Amendments 1 and 2. This means the 2007 standard must be used to ensure compliance with the Regulations, until the Regulations are updated to cite the 2018 edition.
It is likely AS/NZS 3000:2018 will be adopted into the Regulations to replace AS/NZS 3000:2007 in late 2019.
We are considering a 12-month transition of the 2018 edition because none of the changes in AS/NZS 3000:2018 are necessary to address any critical safety issues.
AS/NZS 3000:2018 also contains some provisions contrary to AS/NZS 3000:2007. An example of how the use of AS/NZS 3000:2018 prior to its adoption in the Regulations may not comply and could constitute an offence is for domestic down-lights installation.
We expect Standards Australia will soon make amendments to AS/NZS 3000:2018 to include provisions to address aspects excluded from this edition.
Regulatory recognition of AS/NZS 3000:2018, including amendments, at the end of 2019 will avoid two rule changes in a short timeframe.
Details of how AS/NZS 3000:2007 is applied can be found in Schedule 2 of the Regulations.
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