Electron Issue 108
Keeping you up to date with the latest regulatory changes, exam reports, technical issues, consultation results and other issues affecting electrical workers - published June 2021.
Presiding Member's update
For the last couple of years, the Board has been running a ‘Future Members’ programme. The programme runs for a year and offers an opportunity for selected electrical workers with future Board aspirations to gain an understanding of what the Board does and what it is like to be a Board member.
The programme involves induction and governance training and the Future Members joining the Board for a number of meetings and hearings. Future Members are also assigned a mentor to help with their development.
The most recent Future Members programme has finished, and the Board thanks both Thomas Wiseman and Ben Wells for taking part and for their contributions. With their terms coming to an end, the Board will be looking to appoint new Future Members for 2022. An invitation to submit expressions of interest will be in the next Electron.
At the Board’s March meeting, it was decided to adopt updated core competencies for installations. The updated core competencies were developed with key industry stakeholders. They provide more detail and a clearer competency framework that takes new and developing technologies into account. The updated core competencies were used by Skills in the development of the revised level 3 and 4 electrical qualifications. They are available on the Board’s website
Essential Capabilities for Electrical Registration [PDF, 930 KB]
Now the Board has completed its work on installation core competencies, it will start a project to develop core competencies for Works. A technical committee of industry subject matter experts will be formed for this purpose. Once draft competencies are developed, key industry stakeholders will be consulted before any competencies are adopted.
In this Electron, you will find reports on three disciplinary decisions the Board made about Yehui Zhai, an Electrical Engineer. The decisions were made in June 2020, but Mr Zhai appealed the Board’s decisions to the District Court.
When a decision is appealed, the Board cannot report on it until the appeal is decided. In this case, the District Court dismissed the appeals, and the Board can now report on the cases. These decisions carry a lesson for all electrical workers: prescribed electrical work should only be carried out or supervised if it is within their personal competence, skillset, and knowledge to ensure work is undertaken in a safe and compliant manner.
Mel Orange
Presiding Member
Registrar update
Kia ora,
Welcome to the June 2021 and 108th edition of Electron.
Update on new online platform for electrical workers
This year’s February edition of Electron promised a progress update on the development of a new online platform intended to improve the way electrical workers interact with the Board and with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
This change is part of a move to improve the user experience for electrical workers. Registering, relicensing and keeping on top of competency requirements on this new platform will be easier, and there will be more relevant display information on the public register.
There is also long term potential to join this new platform up with an MBIE learning management system. This would mean the platform could be used to assess and record electrical worker competencies.
Recently the Board and I had an opportunity to take a look at the new system. I was really pleased to see the substantial progress made with its development, and it was well received by the Board.
On behalf of the Board and myself, I and would like to extend our thanks to the project team and all MBIE staff who have contributed and continue to work diligently to bring this project closer to completion. I am excited by the improvements and possibilities this will present for electrical workers.
Updates on these system changes and guidance on using the new system will be available later in the year to ensure you are well prepared for any changes.
Issuing Warrants of Electrical Fitness (WoEF)
There have been a number of reported incidences where Warrants of Electrical Fitness (WoEF) may have been wrongly issued for unsafe or non-compliant installations.
There is an article in this edition that talks about the issuing of WoEF for connectable installations, such as caravans and other recreational vehicles. This article includes links to useful information on issuing WoEF and safety of electrical appliances requirements in recreational vehicles. I strongly recommend you take some time to review this information if you issue or are intending to issue WoEF in the future.
I would like to reiterate a recent Board determination made during a disciplinary hearing earlier this year, in which the Board deemed the issue of a WoEF was, for the purposes of the legislation, prescribed electrical work.
Maintaining safety of decommissioned electrical installations
In this edition of Electron, we also look at maintaining the safety of decommissioned electrical installations which promotes the use of standard AS/NZS 4836.
I would recommend anyone who is not familiar with this standard, or anyone needing to refresh their knowledge, to read this article.
This important cited standard has a set of procedures, safety requirements and controls intended to provide a safe working environment when working on or in electrical installations.
Tell us about your experiences
The EWRB will soon be conducting a survey of electrical workers to gather information about how to better meet your needs. Findings from the survey will help us gain a better understanding so we can look to improve our products and services to serve you better. It will also provide the opportunity for you to make suggestions for improvements.
We are really interested to hear your feedback and encourage you to take some time to complete the survey when it goes live in late June.
Finally, thank you for taking the time to read Electron. If you have any comments or suggestions for future editions, please let me know by emailing ewrb@mbie.govt.nz
Duncan Connor
Registrar of Electrical Workers
PEW and Electrical WoEF
Recreational vehicles (caravans, motorhomes and boats) with connectable installations (including appliances) pose a greater risk of electric shock and fire. This is due to:
- their small spaces and close conditions;
- the expanses of conductive materials;
- the different energy sources (electricity and gas) they use; and
- the use of the vehicle as sleeping accommodation.
As a result of their heightened risk, these installations (and their appliances) are subject to ongoing safety verification and need to be issued with a Warrant of Electrical Fitness (WoEF) to ensure the required level of safety is maintained.
There have been a number of recent complaints and Board investigations relating to the issuing of WoEF by electrical inspectors for unsafe caravans that should not have been issued a warrant without having prior remedial work carried out.
One recurring issues is where older style caravans and associated annexes have been modified from their original electrical design standards, and the required upgrades and maintenance have not been carried out.
In some cases, the required residual-current device (RCD) and overcurrent protection have not been installed. In other cases, appliances forming part of the WoEF requirements were unsafe due to inadequate earthing and/or exposed basic insulation.
A reminder to all inspectors that a WoEF should only be issued if the installation and its appliances are safe and compliant. It is also important to note if an earlier WoEF was issued wrongly, a new warrant should only be issued if the existing identified unsafe and/or non-complaint areas of the installation have been corrected.
Further guidance on requirements for issuing WoEF and electrical safety for recreational vehicles are available from the WorkSafe and Energy Safety links listed below:
- Electrical and gas safety requirements for caravan, motorhome, and boating(external link)
- Transportable structures and vehicles, electrical safety verification(external link)
- Warrants of Electrical Fitness for Imported Recreational Vehicles having electrical systems that operate 110 volts(external link)
Leaving a decommissioned areas safe
It is so important that any electrical installation in the process of being decommissioned or fully decommissioned - as in the case of a demolition site - remains safe and does not present any avoidable shock hazards during the deconstruction process.
Parts of buildings undergoing alterations, deconstruction, or full/partial demolition often need to be provided with a temporary power supply. These circumstances present added danger and greater risk to any person working in those areas. Care must be taken to ensure these risks are identified and the appropriate controls are put in place.
Control measures may include:
- testing
- isolation or lockout procedures
- identification, labelling
- removing out of service equipment and cables
An important reminder that there are provisions under regulation 13(external link) of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations which state that when a person does any prescribed electrical work on an installation, they must ensure the installation is left electrically safe, and no other part of the installation has been detrimentally affected. Additionally, while carrying out work, all person(s) and property must be protected from dangers arising as a result of that work.
Further guidance on available control measures and how to apply them is in standard AS/NZS 4836; which is freely available for all licensed electrical workers from the Board’s portal.(external link)
Standards of the Month
AS/NZS 3003 electrical installations – Patient areas
This standard specifies special requirements for electrical installations (including additions or alterations) in medical locations where patient treatment is carried out.
These areas can include doctor’s consulting rooms, medical centres, dental surgeries, nursing homes hospital operating theatres and all other locations where electrical medical equipment is used on a patient.
AS/NZS 3003 requires these areas to be classified as either ‘body-protected’ or ‘cardiac-protected’ electrical areas, and stipulates additional wiring requirements to those set out in AS/NZS 3000. It is important to note installations in those classified areas are considered high risk and require independent inspection.
AS/NZS 3551 Management programs for medical equipment
This standard outlines the procedures required to develop management programs for medical equipment. Its overall aim is to ensure medical equipment remains safe and functional.
AS/NZS 3551 is intended to also be used as a guide for those responsible for the procurement testing installation, maintenance calibration and operation of medical equipment.
The principles and provisions in the standard are applicable to medical equipment in doctor’s clinics, medical centres, private and public hospitals, and for those servicing or testing medical equipment in any of those areas.
AS/NZS 3551 and AS/NZS 3003 and over 90 other electrical Standards are available for all licensed electrical workers to access for free from the Board’s portal(external link).
Tell us about your experiences
The EWRB will soon be conducting a survey of electrical workers to help us understand the levels of service we are providing so that we can look at how to better meet your needs.
This survey will be a great opportunity for you to tell us about your recent experiences and thoughts on how we can improve our services. NielsenIQ, an independent research company, will be carrying out this confidential survey on behalf of the EWRB and results will not be reported in a way that will allow you to be individually identified.
You will be contacted in late June with more details about the survey and how to take part.
Disciplinary hearings
Yehui Zhai Electrical Engineer (EE 277651, EW 139246)
In June 2020, the Board held three hearings (complaint numbers CE22212, 222133 and 22214) about Mr Yehui Zhai, an electrical engineer from Auckland. The Board found Mr Zhai had, in all three matters, negligently created a risk of serious harm to persons and a risk of significant property damage through having carried out or caused to be carried out prescribed electrical work. The Board also made various other disciplinary findings in respect of the PEW.
Prosecutions
EWRB v Dane Polkinghorne
On 29 April 2021, Mr Dane Polkinghorne appeared in the Gisborne District Court, where he pleaded guilty to charges brought against him by the Board for carrying out unauthorised PEW.