Tçnâ koe Mark

Thank you for your Official Information Act request received by WorkSafe New Zealand on 1 August 2025.

We will respond to your request in accordance with the provisions of the Official Information Act as soon as reasonably practicable and not later than 20 working days.

If we need to extend this timeframe, we will let you know before that date with the reasons why.

Please contact [email address] if you have any questions.

Ngâ mihi,

Ministerial Services
8 Willis Street
Wellington
W worksafe.govt.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Harris <[FOI #31843 email]>
Sent: Friday, 1 August 2025 3:42 pm
To: Ministerial Services – WorkSafe <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Inspection (ie issue of ROI) of mains without connection

[You don't often get email from [FOI #31843 email]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

Dear WorkSafe New Zealand,
Background
Connection of mains is high-risk prescribed electrical work (PEW) under regulation 6A (2) (b) of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010.
Regulation 70 to of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 requires high-risk PEW is to be inspected.
Regulation 73A(1)(d) allows connection for connection of MAINS to occur up 6-months after inspection (ie issue of the record of inspection (ROI)).

Risks
The New Zealand Electrical Inspector’s Association (NZEIA) notes:
1. That mains is high-risk PEW because a single fault (polarity error and/or high-impedance neutral) will cause the installation to be unsafe.
2. That the electrical inspector completing the inspection/ROI is not be able to test the mains for either:
• a polarity reversal fault or
• a high-impedance neutral fault
without the service main cable terminated into the distribution network.
3. That the connection electrical distribution business (EDB) making the connection as part of works (rather than as part of the installation) may result in no electrical safety certificate (ESC) being issued for the mains high-risk PEW.

OIA Requests
1. Is it an offence for an Inspector to issue an ROI without deterministically ensuring that a mains polarity fault is not present at the time the ROI is issued?
2. Is it an offence for an Inspector to issue an ROI without deterministically confirming that a high-impedance neutral fault is not present at the time the ROI is issued?
3. Is it an offence, by the EDB, the electrical inspector and/or the electrician to have mains connected to the distribution network without an ESC having been issued?

Yours faithfully,

Mark Harris

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #31843 email]

Is [WorkSafe New Zealand request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to WorkSafe New Zealand? If so, please contact us using this form:
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If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.govt.nz/<http://www.govt.nz/> - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government services

________________________________
Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of WorkSafe New Zealand. This message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this message in error and that any use is strictly prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any attachment from your computer.
________________________________

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WorkSafe reference 250748

Dear Mark
Attached is a response to your information request.
Kind regards,

Ministerial Services
PO Box 165, Wellington 6140
W worksafe.govt.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Harris <[FOI #31843 email]>
Sent: Friday, August 1, 2025 3:42 PM
To: Ministerial Services – WorkSafe <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Inspection (ie issue of ROI) of mains without connection

[You don't often get email from [FOI #31843 email]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

Dear WorkSafe New Zealand,
Background
Connection of mains is high-risk prescribed electrical work (PEW) under regulation 6A (2) (b) of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010.
Regulation 70 to of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 requires high-risk PEW is to be inspected.
Regulation 73A(1)(d) allows connection for connection of MAINS to occur up 6-months after inspection (ie issue of the record of inspection (ROI)).

Risks
The New Zealand Electrical Inspector’s Association (NZEIA) notes:
1. That mains is high-risk PEW because a single fault (polarity error and/or high-impedance neutral) will cause the installation to be unsafe.
2. That the electrical inspector completing the inspection/ROI is not be able to test the mains for either:
• a polarity reversal fault or
• a high-impedance neutral fault
without the service main cable terminated into the distribution network.
3. That the connection electrical distribution business (EDB) making the connection as part of works (rather than as part of the installation) may result in no electrical safety certificate (ESC) being issued for the mains high-risk PEW.

OIA Requests
1. Is it an offence for an Inspector to issue an ROI without deterministically ensuring that a mains polarity fault is not present at the time the ROI is issued?
2. Is it an offence for an Inspector to issue an ROI without deterministically confirming that a high-impedance neutral fault is not present at the time the ROI is issued?
3. Is it an offence, by the EDB, the electrical inspector and/or the electrician to have mains connected to the distribution network without an ESC having been issued?

Yours faithfully,

Mark Harris

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #31843 email]

Is [WorkSafe New Zealand request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to WorkSafe New Zealand? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.govt.nz/<http://www.govt.nz/> - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government services

________________________________
Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of WorkSafe New Zealand. This message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this message in error and that any use is strictly prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any attachment from your computer.
________________________________

hide quoted sections