Appliance and Installation Safety
[ Last Updated 2 July 2007 ]
Appliance Safety
Q. How do I go About Repair Work on Any Gas Appliances?
A. You need to ensure that you engage a fully competent and authorised (as applicable) person to repair any gas appliance.
Gas appliances must be built and serviced to an acceptable Code or Standard and tested to, and assessed against, that standard to ensure that the appliance meets NZS 5262. You also need to ensure that the repaired product is safe, in accordance with Regulation 16 of the Gas Regulations 1993.
You should consult the manufacturer's instructions before carrying out any work. Installation matters like flue design and condition (cleanness and clearances), ventilation, and proximity of combustible material to the new location of the appliance, must be taken into account if the appliance is modified.
You must be a craftsman gasfitter if you undertake a repair to the control system of a gas appliance or if you are repairing a gas appliance that has been involved in an accident.
Q. I Wish to Start Importing or Manufacturing Gas Appliances. What Steps Should I Take?
A. Step 1 – Review the Gas Act 1992 and the Gas Regulations 1993. Detailed advice on the appliance safety regime may be found here.
Step 2 – Organise for your appliance to be assessed by a competent person against NZS5262 Standard. This includes the necessary assessment against means of compliance standards or alternative credible assessments as provided by this Standard. A full copy of the assessment process documentation shall be kept for future audits by Energy Safety auditors.
Step 3 – Gas appliances must be assessed against New Zealand specific requirements in terms of environment, seismic and gas type (for example, check that the appliance can be operated safely both with commercial propane and commercial butane. This is because the LPG supplied for sale in New Zealand is a mixture of propane and butane).
Step 4 – Register with Energy Safety as a gas appliance supplier and then make a declaration. This must be completed before offering an appliance for sale. Note the declaration requirement does not apply to appliances for "own use" or for a specific appliance (not appliance model) that was sold in New Zealand prior to November 2002.
NOTE – installers are not allowed to install a gas appliance without a Supplier Declaration unless it is proven that the appliance does not require one.
Installation Safety
Q. As a Gasfitter, If I Come Across an Unsafe or Dangerous Installation and the Owner Refuses to Fix the Problem, What Should I Do?
A. If the installation is non-compliant or potentially dangerous you should explain the problem to the owner or occupier and advise them of the obligation to maintain and operate a gas installation in a safe manner.
If the installation is immediately dangerous, explain the dangers to the owner and, if the owner does not allow you to isolate the gas or fix the problem, immediately report the matter to Energy Safety.
A good practice guide for gasfitters dealing with how they should respond to installation faults they discover can be found here.
Q. As an Installer, am I Responsible for the Safety of the Equipment and Fittings I Install, and How Can I Be Sure About the Safety of these Fittings and Appliances?
A. You are legally responsible for the safety of all the appliances and fittings you install and you must take all practicable steps to satisfy yourself that they are safe. You should also ensure that appliances and fittings meet the essential safety requirements of NZS5262. (See "I Wish to Start Importing or Manufacturing Gas Appliances").
Unless imported for "own use" or if the particular appliance had been sold prior to November 2002, all appliances must have a Supplier Declaration, available on the Energy Safety website.
Q. What Standard Should I Use for Installation Downstream of a Gas Meter?
A. All gas installations must be installed in compliance with Part 1 of NZS 5261: Gas Installation: 2003. Compliance with Parts 2 or 3 of NZS 5261 is deemed to be compliance with this requirement.
Back to Top