Part one - Gas Regulations overview
The Gas Regulations 1993 require that all gas appliances and fittings are capable of operating safely when installed correctly and used for their intended purpose. Regulation 12 sets out the safety requirements for the installation of gas appliances and fittings. The regulation requires that every person who installs a gas installation must install it in accordance with Part 1 of NZS 5261: Gas installation: 2003.
NZS 5261 is divided into three parts. Compliance with the first part is mandatory and the remaining two parts are a means of compliance with Part 1. Parts 2 and 3 are intended for fixed gas installations that are in buildings. For caravans and boats, an informative note in clause 1.1.3 of Part 1 of NZS 5261 states that complying with NZS 5428: Installation and use of LPG for non-propulsive purposes in caravans and boats: 1996 is one means of complying with Part 1.
The NZS 5428 standard was revised and republished in 2006 to reflect the essential safety requirements of NZS 5261 and to bring it in line with other modern caravan installation standards. The 2006 version is a better guide to meeting the NZS 5261 requirements than the previous version.
Regulation 13 requires that "…every person who manufactures, imports, sells or offers for sale, hires out, leases out, or installs a gas appliance or fitting … must take all practicable steps to ensure that the gas appliance or fitting is safe in all reasonably foreseeable circumstances." If an appliance does not comply with NZS 5262: Gas appliance safety: 2003, then it is not safe.
Gas appliances must have certain data markings on them to provide information for their safe installation. Regulation 14 requires that every appliance sold or intended for sale is marked in accordance with section 5 of the appliance standard NZS 5262.
Regulations 15 to 15F describe the appliance supplier declaration scheme, which is detailed below. There are also responsibilities for those repairing, modifying, adjusting, owning, using, and hiring gas appliances and fittings as set out in regulations 16 and 17. Regulations 24 and 24A require that the installer must certify most types of gasfitting as being compliant with the regulations.
There are substantial penalties for non-compliance. Failing to comply with the Gas Regulations is an offence punishable by a fine of up to $10,000.
A PDF copy of the Gas Regulations may be downloaded from our website.
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