29 August 2025
Ref: DOIA-REQ-0018875-Mark Harris
Mark Harris
Email: [FYI request #31844 email] 
Tēnā koe Mark Harris
Thank you for your email of 1 August 2025 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment 
(MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
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?
In our view, it would have been necessary under section 14 of the OIA to transfer your request to 
WorkSafe because the information you requested is more closely connected with its functions. However, 
we are aware that you have already made your request to WorkSafe, and therefore we have not 
transferred it. We do not hold any additional relevant information that is not already held by WorkSafe. 

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If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further assistance, 
please contact [email address].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information 
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz  or freephone 0800 802 
602.
Nāku noa, nā
Zoreen Ali
Manager Ministerial Services BRM
Building, Resources and Markets

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