Business Update

Energy Safety October 2009 Newsletter

General

The Aviation Electrical Supplies Steering Committee (AESSC) will meet in October to discuss the submissions and agree the next steps in the process.

AESSC’s objective is to oversee the development of performance requirements and a suitable means of compliance, for the proper and safe management of electricity supplies to aircraft and aircraft maintenance.

A summary of submissions has been published on the Energy Safety website. It is expected that they will be incorporated into a single document with responses once they have been fully reviewed.

Related link to the summary of submissions

ES is assisting the police with the investigation into the deaths, which are believed to be accidental. Initial investigations indicate the couple died after using an outdoor table top heater which emitted carbon monoxide inside the home.
 
Detective Senior Sergeant Keith Borell told the media at the time of the event: "I would like to take the opportunity to raise people’s awareness of the dangers of having outdoor equipment such as gas patio heaters and gas barbecues inside the home, as it may well turn out that such equipment caused this tragedy. These products are designed for outdoor use only."
 
With the police, ES arranged for initial tests that revealed the heater emitted high levels of carbon monoxide. In consultation with the New Zealand retailer of the heater, ES then arranged for the heater and a number of new heaters of the same make and model to be tested by an independent laboratory. Tests by the laboratory identified a fault with the heater and a number of the new heaters. As a consequence of the findings, the retailer issued a recall notice.
 
ES issued a safety alert to reinforce earlier messages to the public that appliances manufactured for use outdoors must never be used indoors.

Related link on the ES website

Despite prior warnings and education Leigh Joe, a Trade Me member, continued to sell electrical products without first establishing the safety of those products. These electrical  appliances were being sold with non-approved plug adaptors.

Energy Safety (ES) brought Leigh Joe to the attention of Trade Me in June 2008 and she was warned to stop selling the products.  As part of ES’ ongoing audit programme this member was found again, in February 2009, listing non-approved plug adaptors. ES again raised this with Trade Me and the member was banned.

These products are considered high risk, presenting a hazard to anyone who uses them.  ES is particularly concerned about plug adaptors that have not been adequately tested for electrical safety.  Used at skirting board level, plug adaptors are accessible by infants and young children.

In his sentencing the Judge noted an “absolute lack of care” in attending to her responsibilities and obligations under the Electricity Regulations.

The rules are in place to protect consumers and encourage good business practices.

The successful prosecution was taken by ES, which is part of the Ministry of Economic Development. ES is committed to ensuring the safe supply and use of electricity and gas.  It undertakes an ongoing programme of investigations and audits of electrical and gas appliances.

Related link to read the Media Release

The proposed regulations are the final step in the implementation of the review of the electrical safety legislative regime that began with the Electricity Amendment Act 2006.

The proposed regulations are required to enable the changes to the Electricity Act to be brought into effect and the opportunity has also been taken to generally update the regulations.

The exposure draft process provides an opportunity for industry to review the draft and to comment on the technical nature of proposed regulations.
The exposure draft, together with a commentary on the proposed regulations, is available on the Energy Safety website. 

The proposed regulations are due to come into force 1 January 2010.

Despite warnings from Energy Safety the company continued to supply electrical products without first establishing their safety.

The products Feng Bao International Trading supplied included low cost touch table lamps, multi-plug adaptors and banned Christmas lights, all considered to be high risk.  These were never intended to be used in New Zealand and were all fitted with non-approved plugs. The appliances presented a safety risk to anyone who used them.

Energy Safety wants to get the message across to importers that they need to ensure the electrical safety of products before they supply them. The rules are in place to protect consumers and encourage good business practices.

The successful prosecution was taken by Energy Safety, which is part of the Ministry of Economic Development.  The company had breached Electricity Regulations 107(a), 107(aa) and 107(b).

Energy Safety is committed to ensuring the safe supply and use of electricity and gas.  It undertakes an ongoing programme of investigations and audits of electrical and gas appliances.

Related link to this Media Release

Tom Leong is a current member of the Electrical Workers Registration Board and a renowned engineer who has dedicated his work to the electrical industry in New Zealand. The Meritorious Award, established in 2005 and instigated by ESO, is to mark an individual’s contribution to electrical safety.