The NZEI Inc, failed to list on of its most valued sponsors for its 2014 Conference – Jackson Electrical Industries, in the DEMM May edition, we sincerely apologize for this omission.
Installations Electro technology Co coordinating Committee.
This committee met on the 9 April 2014 and considered the work required to be completed this year and the work required to be completed to fully align the existing electrical standards to the revised requirements of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 which fully came into force on the 1 February 2014.
There are also two major changes coming
The first change has already occurred and this was the relocation of Energy Safety which was formally a part of Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to WorkSafe NZ which occurred mid-December 2013. In the early stages of this re-location, no major changes are being proposed, but further changes later are expected when the WorkSafe NZ Act has come into force. The new WorkSafe NZ Act is expected to be in force before the September 2014 general election of the Government.
The second change being that will see the present Standards Council disestablished and a new standards body established within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, but this requires a new Standards Act to enable this relocation to occur. The new Standards Act is not expected to be completed before the September 2014 general election of the Government. The actual date of the relocation of Standards is unknown but it is not expected to occur in 2014.
Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 amendments
An update by WorkSafe NZ was given on the work likely to be required in the next 12 months in respect of conflicts of terminology in a number of electrical Standards. For example, AS/NZS 3019 expression “Certificate of Verification” (CoV) is now known as “Records of Assessment”. Revisions of electrical standards to eliminate these conflicts will be made as resources and opportunely permit to carry out the minor amendments necessary.
Emergency Amendment of Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 and NZS 6115 Mobile Medical Facilities
There is a the need to make an emergency amendment to the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 to cater for a large number of invalid Warrants of Electrical Fitness issued for Mobile Medical Facilities vehicles and the Certificate of Verification or Records of Assessment for the service pillars used to supply the Mobile Medical Facility vehicles. These invalid Warrants of Electrical Fitness mainly relate to mobile medical facility vehicles used by the school dental clinic service operated by the District Health Boards.
It has been a mandated requirement of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 and NZS 6115 for all Mobile Medical Facility vehicles to be the subject of an annual electrical inspection for the renewal of the Warrant of Electrical Fitness by the certification that the vehicle fully complies with NZS 6115. This is a high risk inspection which must be carried out by registered Electrical Inspectors only.
It appears from investigations carried out and from reports received that a significant number of Mobile Medical Facility vehicles that have been fitted with a supply lead plug complying AS/NZS 3123, in instead of the mandated NZ connectable installations standard of IEC 60309 plugs.
This breakdown of the high risk inspection process is cause for serious concern as the holders of Electrical Inspector class of registration play a key part in achieving a high level of electrical safety in electrical installations which have mandated high risk inspection requirements.
The use of adapter leads to cater for vehicles wired for a 3 phase supply to a single phase socket outlet is also occurring, the NZS 6115 calls for the supply lead to be in one piece.
Due to the incorrect plug fitted to the vehicle supply lead, the matching socket outlet in the service pillar to supply the vehicle is also incorrect in that a socket outlet complying to AS/NZS 3123 has been fitted, in instead of the mandated NZ connectable installations standard of IEC 60309 socket outlets. There have also been reports of the mandated RCD required at the socket outlet position not being provided as required by NZS 6115.
It is proposed to urgently amend NZS 6115 to permit the use of IEC 60309 or AS/NZS 3123 fittings on the supply leads and for the service pillar socket outlets. A public draft for comment for the urgent amendment of NZS 6115 was released on the 17th April and closes on 12th May 2014.
This action will prevent disruption to the school dental clinic system which uses mobile medical faculties based on caravan or motorhome type vehicles.
There will be the need to publish some instructions to all parties of the School Dental Clinic service; these will be developed when the amendments to the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 and NZS 6115 are being completed.
EL-001 committee
AS/NZS 3010 Electrical installations- Generating Sets
The drafting of this standard has been completed and has been released for Public Comment on the 7th April 2014 and Closes on the 9th June 2014.
There have been a number of changes and new provisions made when using generating sets as supply source or as an alternative to mains power supply in an electrical installation.
Copies of the Public Comment draft are available on the Standards NZ website www.standards.co.nz look under “Developing Standards” then “Joint standards”.
Have a look at the draft and if you have a constructive comment, follow the process detailed in the draft standard.
AS/NZS 3012 Electrical installations –Construction and Demolition sites
The drafting of the amendment is almost complete and subject to some site measurement testing, it is expected to be approved for publication shortly.
AS/NZS 3000 Electrical Installations-Australia and New Zealand Wiring Rules
Work on the revision has commenced in both Australia and New Zealand. Drafting will be carried out by AU State and Territories and New Zealand sub committees. Each revision sub-committee has been allocated a section or sections of the Wiring Rules to any redrafting of the existing which has been identified as needing revision and also to carry out the drafting of any new requirements. The need for re-drafting of existing or new material has already been fixed as part of the AS/NZS 3000 revision project approval.
The New Zealand sub-committee has been formed out of the IECC membership.
SNZ HB 6117 Electrical Installations in Dairy Sheds
SNZ HB 6117 has been published and discussions are taking place between Standards and Energy Safety on the question of the amendment of Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 to permit the use of the TT system of supply in Dairy sheds.
SNZ TR 6120 Low Voltage Report of Systems of Supply
The report is having a final technical editing prior to publishing and discussions are taking place between Standards and Energy Safety on the question of the amendment of Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 to permit the use of the TT system of supply and the details required in a TT supplement to the existing AS/NZS 3000 for use when the TT systems offers better safety protection.
Other standards under EL-001 control
Revision of the AS/NZS 3004 Electrical Installations-Marinas and Pleasure boats has some minor work to complete prior to publication.
AS/NZS 61386 and AS/NZS 2053 Conduit and trunking the revision work is almost complete and is awaiting publication approvals. The two standards will run in parallel for a time.
Proposals to revise AS/NZS 3832 Signs fitting of an isolating switch on all signs; AS/NZS 4249 Film, TV and Video sites general update and NZS 6116 Use of Electricity inn Meat processing general update ; are being developed for action during the coming year.
EL-042 Renewable Energy Systems
Work has continued on the amendment of AS/NZS 5033 PV Arrays and AS/NZS 4777 series. Drafting work on AS/NZS 5033 has been completed and is undergoing technical editing prior to publication.
The drafting work after the consideration of the large volume of public comments received for part 2 Grid connected inverters has been completed and is expected to be circulated in the near future for a limited time period for public comments. It is expected that publication will follow shortly after the public comment period.
The completion of drafting work after the consideration of the large volume of public comments received for part 1 Installation of grid connected inverters has been delayed due to a number of reasons, this work is expected to be completed shortly and after technical editing will be circulated in the near future for a limited time period for public comments. It is expected that publication will follow shortly after the public comment period.
Conclusion
Drafting work is on-going at a high rate at the moment and hopefully will reduce to a more manage able level in the near future. But a reasonable rate of progress is being maintained.
Alan Cuthbert
NZEI Inc. - Standards NZ representative
