Electrical Safety Certificates
To confirm that testing and inspection has occurred, it is necessary to produce certificates to document that the work or electrical fitting is certified and in compliance with the general safety requirement and any other technical requirements.
- For prescribed electrical work, this is achieved by Certificates of Compliance (CoCs).
- For re-verification of existing installations following disconnection for greater than 6 months, of a caravan park, boat marina or on which no work has been done, a certificate of re-verification (or certificate of verification) is required. It is proposed that verification should also apply when substituting like for like and like for better.
- For connectable installations, this is currently achieved by Warrants of Electrical Fitness (WOEF). Any WOEF must be issued in accordance with NZS 3019 (Electrical Installations – in-service testing).
It is proposed that these certificate documents are replaced by one document that can be completed to indicate compliance with the general safety requirement and any relevant technical requirements. It is suggested that this document would be called an Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC) and would apply to:
- Prescribed electrical work, upon completion of the work;
- Low voltage installations upon reconnection if disconnected for more than 6 months;
- For high voltage electrical installations, hazardous areas in electrical installations (such as spray booths, animal stunning, and medical-electrical installations and appliances);
- Periodic electrical inspections on schools, rest homes, public swimming pools, caravan parks and boat marinas; and
- Connectable installations, including caravans and campervans.
It is proposed that situations c, d and e the ESC would be required at intervals not exceeding 5 years.
The ESC achieves several outcomes. Firstly, the suggested name of the certificate ensures that safety is the primary driver of the certification process. Secondly, it reduces compliance costs by enabling workers and inspectors to use a single document that can be customised.
It is proposed that a person who issues an ESC must give a copy to the person requesting the certificate. It is proposed for connectable installations, that an electrical safety sticker must be completed and affixed to the installation. It is proposed that a copy of the ESC should be submitted to the EWRB along with the required fee within 10 working days of issuing the certificate. It is proposed, however, if the ESC is for re-verification of existing installations, there is no need to submit to the Board and no fee to pay.
It is proposed that the Chief Executive may, by notice in the Gazette or in writing to the person, exempt electrical fittings from any or all of the requirements that apply to ESCs, and can advise the form and content of the ESC and the sticker.
It is proposed that every person who hires out, leases, sells or otherwise supplies a connectable installation would be required to ensure that the connectable installation has an ESC, issued by an electrical inspector (or other suitable person). For importers, it is proposed that they must also ensure they have covered these requirements prior to first connecting the connectable installation to the electricity supply system.
Questions
What do you think of the proposal to have one form that can be used for in place of CoCs, CoVs and WOEF?
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