Electrical appliances and power tools – safety, regulations, and the latest Standards

Australian and New Zealand joint electrical Standards developed by EL-002, the 'Joint Australian/New Zealand committee on the safety of household and similar electrical appliances, tools, small power transformers, and power supplies', are used by manufacturers, regulators, and testing houses to ensure that appliances and power tools that come into New Zealand are constructed and tested properly, safe to use, and approved for sale.

A large number of these Australian/New Zealand (AS/NZS) Standards for electrical appliances and tools listed in Schedule 4 of the Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010.

Determination of energy savings in projects – proposed new field of work

Standards New Zealand is seeking feedback on a new work item proposal called the 'General technical rules for determination of energy savings in renovation projects, industrial enterprises and regions'. The national member body of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in China has proposed this new field of work to ISO.

The proposed Standard is intended to specify the general technical rules for measurement, calculation, and verification of energy savings applicable in energy efficient renovation projects on existing or new building facilities, industrial utilities and processes. It will also specify the general technical rules for measurement, calculation, and verification of energy savings of industrial enterprises. Finally, it is also intended to determine the energy savings of regions which implement energy efficient policies and measures, such as mandatory standards, tax rebates, subsidy programmes, and propagation programmes.

To receive a copy of the proposal, for more information, or to submit comments including support for or opposition to the proposal, please email International Manager Karen Batt at isoadmin@standards.co.nz. Comments received will be used to form a New Zealand position on this proposal. Please provide your comments by Friday 30 July 2010.

Electrical and gas appliances – regulatory regime changes

As a result of amendments to the electricity and gas safety regulations, important changes are being implemented to the regimes that cover both electrical and gas appliances sold in New Zealand.

While the new electricity and gas regimes have a similar, but not identical, 2 year phase in period designed to allow existing stock (and stock on order) to be sold under the old rules, it is important to ensure that new stock, and orders, comply with the new regulations.

Thefts prompt reminder about gas safety

Energy Safety has become aware of instances where the theft of an externally-fitted gas appliance, or section of pipe is stolen from a completed installation, has resulted in an unsafe, or a potentially unsafe, situation.

These have usually involved instantaneous gas water heaters or copper pipe. These thefts have put people and buildings at risk from fire or explosion.

Call for entries – energy sector excellence awards

The period for entering the New Zealand Energy Sector Excellence Awards has now commenced and runs through to June 14. This is the inaugural event and is being endorsed by the Minister of Energy and Resources Gerry Brownlee, who will be speaking at the event. Deloitte is the principal sponsor.

A dedicated website has been launched www.energyawards.co.nz that contains all the details around entering the awards, attending the evening and sponsoring one of the awards. Organiser Matt Freeman says that already there has been strong interest in the awards. 'We have received solid interest in entering the awards from right across the sector, which is pleasing,' he says. 'Just over 200 tickets have now been sold out of a capacity of 550 so that has also been a pleasing start to the awards night.'

Chairman of the judging panel, Peter Griffiths, formerly managing director of BP New Zealand, encourages New Zealand energy sector organisations and individuals to step forward and nominate themselves. 'This exciting event will define and recognise the standout achievements of the year in the energy sector,' he says. 'This is an opportunity for us to acknowledge individuals and energy sector organisations, and to celebrate the contribution the sector makes to the New Zealand economy.'

Reproduced from 'Latest news' on the Energy News website, 25 March 2010

Putting a new spin on energy

Never before has energy generated so much excitement and activity. Energy's creation is no longer the sole domain of the utility company. Consumers can now transform themselves into energy providers. Everyone has the opportunity to feed back into the network: from the individual homeowner with solar panels to the company with a spare bit of land on which an array of wind turbines can be erected.

It makes for a much more complex picture, and one in which the edges are blurred. The traditional relationship between service provider (the giant utility company) and consumer or customer is changing.

This well-established model has not, in the past, been one characterised by speed of change. It takes years to plan and put into operation a power station or a hydroelectric facility that will supply power to a city or industry. It is hard for players in this environment to be reactive; modelling and predictive analysis have been more the name of the game.

Shedding light on electronics’ inner life

Electronic components are central to our lives. We may not see them, but we rely on them all the time. Electrical and electronic products comprise many, sometimes hundreds, of individual components and sub-assemblies. Manufacturers and consumers alike want to be assured that the electronic components used in their products are of the required quality and reliability.

This is where IECQ, the IEC Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components, plays an essential role. As a worldwide approval and certification system covering the supply of electronic components, assemblies, and associated materials and processes, IECQ tests and certifies components using quality assessment specifications based on IEC International Standards.

Storing energy for a rainy day

On a recent afternoon, Stephen W. Moore hurried through the USA's Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on an important assignment. His destination: San Antonio, Texas, USA. His mission: perform forensic analysis on a battery that had burned during standardised abuse testing on the basis of IEC safety Standards.

Moore was called in to dismantle the battery pack and figure out what had happened. Using techniques similar to those seen on the popular television series CSI (Crime Scene Investigation), Moore picked through the blob of molten material and chipped away at the plastic hunting for fragments of melted metal.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

AS/NZS 4871 Electrical equipment for mines and quarries

AS/NZS 4871.1:2010 General requirements

Sets out the general requirements for all electrical equipment intended for mining and quarrying activities. This includes the types of equipment as covered in AS/NZS 4871.2 to AS/NZS 4871.6. These requirements are in addition to those in AS 60204.1 and AS 60204.11, which covers electrical safety of machinery.
Supersedes AS/NZS 4871.1:2002

→ Buy this Standard

AS/NZS 4871.2:2010 Distribution, control and auxiliary equipment

NEW AMENDMENTS

Free to download from our website: www.standards.co.nz
Or hard copy available at $32.00+GST (Members), $40.00+GST (Retail)

Amendment 1 to AS/NZS 3823.2:2009 Energy labelling and minimum energy performance standard (MEPS) requirements

STANDARDS WITHDRAWN

AS/NZS 4871 Electrical equipment for mines and quarries

• AS/NZS 4871.1:2002 General requirements
  Superseded by AS/NZS 4871.1:2010
• AS/NZS 4871.2:2002 Distribution, control and auxiliary equipment
  Superseded by AS/NZS 4871.2:2010

STANDARD IN DEVELOPMENT

In-service safety inspection and testing

Committee: EL/036
Project Manager: John Kelly
Estimated Publication Date: August 2010
Comments: Revision of AS/NZS 3760, AS/NZS 5761, and AS/NZS 5762. A second public comment draft for AS/NZS 3760 was issued in May.