Meeting Australian Electrical Safety Standards
The Australian Electrical Safety Standards explained
There are two forms of standards in the Australian market at present, those that require a mandatory Certificate of Approval and those that need a Certificate of Suitability.
- A product requiring a Certificate of Approval is one that has legal connotations and is for high risk products.
- The product is gazetted by each state regulator and references the product standard applicable.
- There are some 60 electrical products referenced out of 2400 products total at this level.
- These are high risk products such as switches, socket-outlets, RCD's, power supply, plugs, MCB's, portable luminaires, fluorescent lamp starter and ballast, lampholders, cord extension sockets, appliance connectors.
- A product requiring a Certificate of Suitability does carry some legal implication and is for medium or low risk products.
- The product must be designed and tested to the relevant standard.
- Responsible manufacturers, like Clipsal, are committed to obtaining a Certificate of Suitability for all products manufactured.
- These may be medium or low level risk and includes all other products not included in the gazetted products (approximately 7000 standards).
- They do not require any supporting documentation from the state regulator.
- They are expected to be designed and manufactured to the basic essential safety standard.
New regulations in 2012
- The Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council (ERAC) is developing new regulations.
- These will be reviewed by each State Government for implementation.
- The new regulations will keep electrical product suppliers more tightly controlled.
- It will become illegal to supply electrical product without prior registration in the new scheme.
- If approvals do not exist, the regulator will take action against the product supplier.
- When the new scheme is introduced, it will be easier for regulators to police the electrical goods market.
For more information on the Australian Electrical Safety Standards go to: http://www.standards.org.au/
For more information on the Australian Safety Standards and Product Compliance go to Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council.
Clipsal and the
Australian
Standards
- Clipsal takes its responsibility to ensure all products manufactured meet all relevant Australian product standards very seriously.
- Clipsal always has its products independently tested by specialist, third-party accreditation laboratories, in order to meet specific product application standards.
- When Clipsal upgrades products or makes improvements to design or performance, Clipsal will reapply for independent testing and approvals, to ensure products continually meet Australian Standards.
