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Safety & Compliance

Typically, your electrical systems have generally been set and forgotten once installed, but with the additional emphasis now being placed on your electrical systems by both the insurance institute and Work Safe, this area now requires ongoing reviews and attention.

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For a residential build, most insurance companies are now requesting that any newly purchased properties have an electrical report completed before they will provide ongoing cover. On newer installations, this is usually a reasonably straightforward process but on older installations, this can require an extensive review of the installation and unfortunately often results in additional works being required if the property has not been maintained.

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Issues we have found and which may exist within your residential property:

  • Often we have found that essential items such as the main earth have been inadvertently disconnected or damaged. This creates a significant safety hazard should you have a fault in your electrical system.

  • Incorrect use of fuse wire or replaceable circuit breakers in your switchboard, which may result in damage or a fire within your switchboard, or even cabling, should a fault arise.

  • Damaged or unsafe switches and sockets.

  • Installation of roof space insulation over recessed light fittings resulting in excessive heat that may damage the light fitting or even worse, cause a fire.

  • Home handyman alterations may create significant hazards to both your property and those within.

 

Residential Rentals Healthy Homes Compliance

You have probably heard all about the latest legislative amendments in relation to the compliance requirements for residential rental properties. Whist they may seem intimidating and excessive the governmental agencies tasked with ensuring compliance in these areas are actively pursuing prosecutions for non-compliance and have stated that ignorance is not a mitigating factor.

 

To this end, we would urge you to follow the attached link (https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/healthy-homes/) to the tenancy tribunal website and check you have everything up to speed.

 

If you are unsure of any specific requirements we can assist with the following;

  • Heating assessments & solutions

  • Ventilation assessments & solutions

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We can also recommend suitable providers for the following;

  • Heatpump installations/repairs

  • Ventilation systems

  • Insulation installation including moisture barriers

  • Drainage systems including sewer and stormwater

  • Draft stopping and general maintenance

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In Commerical property, it is becoming more common for insurance companies to require an ongoing testing and monitoring program to be incorporated within your facility management program. In smaller installations, this can be very limited in its requirements but in larger installations, this can require extensive reviews and assessments of items such as switchboards, cabling systems, lighting and sockets etc.

 

Work Safe is also now reviewing components of your electrical systems with respects to both the environmental aspect of your workspace but also the ongoing safety of your team. There have also been a number of cases brought about through the employment court where employees have claimed that their working conditions have been compromised by either unsafe or substandard electrical installations.

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Issues we have found or that have been identified by Work safe and/or the Insurance institute;

  • Non-compliant lighting. There are industry-related guidelines with respect to the level of lighting (lux) provided for specific work tasks and environments. Failure to meet these requirements may be used in prosecutions relating to workplace incidents/injuries or employment court proceedings.

  • Plant and equipment safety systems such as emergency stops, safety beams, lanyards etc. Work safe has prosecuted a number of employers and facilities for non-compliance with respects to these systems and requirements.

  • Switchboards, with the continual upgrading of the power grid and associated local networks, are important to check. We have found that older switchboards in commercial and industrial facilities are no longer fit for purpose or suitable to safely operate in fault conditions. This can provide a significant safety hazard which could also result in either an explosive reaction or a fire. We have also found that in many instances there have been substandard or non-compliant alterations completed over the years which may seem fine but in reality, are issues waiting to happen.

  • Other typical issues found within switchboards;

    • Loose terminations resulting in heat build-up potentially damaging the switchboard or connections within

    • Incorrect replacement of HRC fuses resulting in the connected cables/plant not being safely protected which could lead to damage of cabling and plant

    • Contamination within the switchboards by vermin (many a dead rat has been found attached to the live side of a main switch) which can result in fires, nuisance tripping of circuit breakers etc.

    • Non-compatible/compliant alterations compromising the safety and operation of the switchboard as originally designed & constructed.

 

Our services in this field being (but not limited to);

 

  • Lighting reviews

  • Switchboard inspections

  • Thermal imaging

  • Plant safety assessments

  • IQP inspections of emergency lighting for BWOF requirements

  • Healthy Homes heating and ventilation assessments

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Safety & Compliance: Service
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