Make sure appliances comply with electricity safety regulations.

We recently heard from a member who’d accidentally fried an old voice recorder when he used its power adaptor for the first time (he’d been running it on batteries for many years). It turned out the adaptor didn’t comply with our electrical safety regulations.

Regulation 80 of the Electricity Safety Regulations 2010 requires that every new or used appliance that’s sold must be "electrically safe" – this means there’s no significant risk of injury or death to any person, or of damage to property. Regulation 80 also applies to parallel-imported goods, so check all power adaptors before buying a parallel import.

According to the Electricity Safety Regulations any appliance sold in New Zealand must have:

• A correct plug: Appliances fitted with a plug that’s incorrect for use here won’t usually be safe.
• Voltage markings: All appliances sold in New Zealand must be safe to use at our supply voltage of 230 volts. Any appliance that doesn’t show a voltage rating of 230 volts (including appliances that don’t show any voltage rating) should be considered suspect. Some appliances are designed for a range of voltages and this range is clearly marked – for example 200-240 volts. These will be safe to use.
• Other markings: A safe appliance will always show the manufacturer’s or supplier's name. A safe light-fitting will show the maximum rating of light bulb that can be used in it.

Don’t use – and don’t buy – an appliance that doesn’t comply with this.

Tip: Not sure whether a product is electrically dodgy? Ask for a “declaration of safety” from the seller. And if you believe there’s been a breach of the regulations, contact the Ministry of Economic Development through www.energysafety.govt.nz.

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