Overview of New Zealand Safety Regimes
Safe Supply and Use of Gas and Electricity
Energy Safety works to ensure that distribution systems, installations and appliances are supplied and used safely. Energy Safety also has a key role in ensuring appropriate standards and monitoring are generated and applied to energy measurement and quality of energy.
All aspects covered by the Gas and Electricity legislation, with respect to safety, measurement and quality, for all kinds of gas used as fuel and electricity, is managed by Energy Safety through involvement in policy processes, standards and monitoring.
Changes to the safety regimes for both electrical and gas appliances were introduced by Energy Safety in 2002. These changes recognise New Zealand's trade relationships with overseas countries, particularly the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA) with Australia. The changes attempt to facilitate harmonisation of New Zealand's appliance safety regimes with Australia's, enabling a market to market supply and sale relationship.
The TTMRA allows for new electrical products lawfully sold or supplied in Australia to be lawfully sold or supplied in New Zealand, if accompanied by appropriate Australian documentation.
The central focus of the gas appliance safety regime is a Mandatory Supplier Declaration, where a supplier declaration must be completed and key elements made publicly available before any appliance or specified fitting is legally supplied or installed.
The electrical appliance safety regime requires that a specified list of electrical appliances require a supplier declaration before they can be legally sold in New Zealand. A separate list of electrical appliances will be defined as declared articles and will require Energy Safety approval, or an alternative recognised certification, before they can be legally sold in New Zealand. Note: Declared articles as of February 2005 are also on the specified list of those requiring supplier declaration.
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