[ Last Updated 7 May 2010 ]
Short Description
An information sheet on the new regulations tailored for the gasfitting community
Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations 2010
The Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations 2010 came into force on 4 May. They have a number of features that are relevant to the gasfitting trade. This information is intended to provide advice to those who carry out gasfitting under those Regulations.
Transition
The Regulations contain transition provisions covering up to 2 years to allow affected sectors of the industry to adapt to the changes.
An important thing for you to know is the old appliance declaration regime remains in force until 4 May 2012 while the new appliance certification regime takes effect on 4 May 2010
Energy Safety Website
The website has been adjusted to reflect the changes. It will be expanded over the next few months as the new Regulations take effect, material is added, and needs for clarification emerge.
You can subscribe to a notification service which will provide an email update on changes to the website. Click on the Subscribe to site updates link at the bottom of any page on the website.
Because parts of the old Regulations are still valid during the transition period, we have made both the new and old Regulations available on the website but have identified the old one using a water mark for clarity.
Layout of Regulations
The majority of the Regulations relevant to Gasfitters have been grouped together in Part 5 Safety of Installations.
Appliances, including appliance certification requirements, are dealt with in section 6. There are also a number of Regulations in Part 8 relating to the transition to the new regime, particularly Regulations 93 and 94.
Other provisions, such as the point of supply, requirements to notify unsafe situations and the specific matters considered to be unsafe are contained in Parts 1 and 2.
Applicable Standards
The Regulations introduce formal recognition of the latest edition of the applicable Standards. While the individual Regulations do not refer to the edition or date of these Standards, the edition is specified in Schedule 1.
Gas Installations
The Regulations require that installations are installed in accordance with NZS 5261: 2003 including all amendments. The standard itself states that Part 1 is the mandatory requirement and that parts 2 and 3 are a means of compliance. In other words, the requirements are not significantly different from the 1993 regulations other than that now “commissioning” and “testing” is now explicitly stated.
The installation requirements have been extended to include imported installations such as caravans and motorhomes. The importer must ensure the imported installation meets the requirements of Part 1 of NZS 5261.
For caravans, compliance with the caravan standard NZS 5428 is considered to meet compliance with the above.
Installing Appliances
The requirement for installers to verify that appliances are on the appliance declaration database is retained, but for appliances that have been certified under the new regime, the presence of the Gas Safety Compliance label on the appliance has become an alternative to checking the website. This marking can be either coloured or black and white. The website is being adjusted to accept certification declarations.
![[safety compliance label].](/upload/72599/GasSafety_2Col_Sticker.jpg)
Point of supply and the definition of gasfitting
As you know the scope of gasfitting has been expanded to include work on installations connected to LPG cylinders of less than 15 kg capacity. The definition of gasfitting in the PGD Act is dependent on the definition of point of supply which has been defined in the Regulations in regulation 5.
This has the effect (in respect to LPG cylinder supply) of moving the point where gasfitting begins to the outlet of LPG cylinders (from a former position at the outlet of first stage pressure regulators). Work on systems supplied from LPG tanks continues to be from the first stage regulator.
Exemptions on Certification
While the extent of gasfitting now includes small (< 15 kg) LPG systems, this work does not require certification.
Other exemptions from certification include the “like for like” replacement of appliances and the replacement of instrumentation fittings such as pressure gauges. The exemption for appliance replacement only holds under certain requirements specified in regulation 45(b).
Infringement offences
The Regulations now have provision for infringement fees (fines) for offences under the Regulations.