Pursuant to Regulation 102 of the Electricity Regulations 1997 ("the Regulations"), I, Sanjai Deepak Raj, Group Manager, Energy Safety Service, give the following notice.
N o t i c e
1. Title and commencement-(1) This notice is the Electricity Regulations (Prohibited Electrical Appliance - Decorative Lighting Outfit) Notice 2006.
(2) This prohibition is to take effect on and from the date following the date of publication of this notice in the
New Zealand Gazette.
2. Prohibited equipment-The manufacture, importation, sale, installation and use of the electrical appliance, being a decorative lighting outfit as prescribed in this notice, is prohibited.
3. Description-
(a) The decorative lighting outfit to which this notice applies is a product commonly known as "Christmas tree lights" and/or "decorative lighting".
(b) The product packaging and wording on the packaging may vary. One known packaging wording is "Christmas Decorations". The appliance is known to exist in overall white or green colour, however other colours may exist.
(c) The appliance consists of a 2-pin moulded plug with two separately insulated supply leads approximately 660mm in length that terminate in a plastic controller enclosure.
(d) The enclosure is approximately 5cm x 3cm x 2cm and
is constructed of two plastic moulded halves held together by two screws. There is a button labelled "PUSH" and the following text is listed below the button:
1 Combination
2 In waves
3 Sequential
4 Slo-glo
5 Chasing flash
6 Slow fade
7 Twinkle /flash
8 Steady On
(e) Insulated leads from the enclosure are connected to approximately 40 small coloured globes or clear globes.
4. Details of hazard-The decorative lighting outfit constitutes, or may constitute, an electrical hazard in that:
(a) the supply cables are improperly anchored to the enclosure and may become free and present an electric shock hazard to the user; and
(b) the supply cable conductors have an inadequate level of insulation and may constitute an electric shock hazard to the user.
5. Reasons for prohibition-The decorative lighting outfit described in this notice is a non-compliant electrical appliance under Regulation 76A of the Regulations in that:
(a) in normal use it functions unsafely so as to cause danger to persons, property, or animals; and
(b) it has inadequate protection against direct contact or indirect contact; and
(c) its unearthed conductive parts are separated from live parts only by basic insulation.
Dated at Wellington this 13th day of November 2006.
SANJAI DEEPAK RAJ, Group Manager, Energy Safety Service, Ministry of Economic Development.