The Electrical Workers' Registration Board ("the Board") has the responsibility for the registration and licensing of electrical workers in New Zealand.
In accordance with section 85(d) of the Electricity Act 1992 ("the Act"), the Board has previously given notice
of transitional requirements relating to the completion of competency programmes in respect of persons applying for practising licences or applying for renewals of practising licences as published in the New Zealand Gazette, 10 June 2010, No. 64, page 1846.
Those requirements followed the introduction of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, and had effect until 30 June 2011.
The Board subsequently gave notice in the New Zealand Gazette, 26 May 2011, No. 71, page 1688 (Notice No. 3557) of an extension of those transitional requirements, to have effect until 1 November 2011 unless earlier amended or revoked by the Board.
The Board hereby gives notice that the requirements relating to the completion of competency programmes in respect of persons applying for practising licences, persons holding practising licences, and persons applying for renewals
of practising licences, as set out in Schedule 1, will take effect from 1 February 2012.
Further, the Board hereby gives notice that the transitional requirements set out in Notice No. 3557 will continue until the coming into effect of the requirements in this notice, at which point they are hereby revoked.
Dated at Wellington this day of 23rd day of November 2011.
HON MAURICE WILLIAMSON, Minister of Building and Construction.
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Schedule 1
Persons wishing to uplift practising licences after 31 January 2012
Any person wishing to uplift a Board practising licence after 31 January 2012 must have attended Board-approved courses of instruction in electrical safety and any such course must have been conducted by a Board-approved competence programme provider.
Frequency of competence programmes
With the exception of people seeking practising licences
for the line mechanic and cable jointer classes, and people who are engaged on "works", applicants for all classes of practising licences or the renewal of practising licences must attend Board-approved courses of instruction in electrical safety and approved instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid within a period of two years immediately before the date of application.
In the case of people seeking practising licences for the line mechanic and cable jointer classes, or the renewal of practising licences for such classes, those people must attend Board-approved courses of instruction in electrical safety and approved instruction in first aid within a period of
14 months before the date of application and approved instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation within a period of seven months before the date of application.
In the case of people who are engaged on "works", applicants for any class of practising licence or the renewal of any practising licence must have attended Board-approved courses of instruction in electrical safety within
a period of 14 months immediately before the date of application.
Subject material for competence programmes
The subject material of competence programmes for the Board's 10 classes of practising licences is listed at Schedule 2 below.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid
All instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be provided so as to achieve the CPRL2 requirements of the New Zealand Resuscitation Council of New Zealand.
First aid instruction must be provided in accordance with material published by either the Red Cross of New Zealand or St John New Zealand.
Professional development programmes
Professional development programmes are acceptable for competence programme purposes provided the Board's above-mentioned frequency of training aspects, subject material, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid requirements are included in any professional development programme.
Providers of competence programmes
Any person, company or organisation wishing to become
a Board-approved provider of a competence programme must confirm that the Board's above-mentioned frequency of training aspects, subject material, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid requirements will be satisfied.
Employer licence holders, or employers in general, can become Board-approved providers of competence programmes provided the Board's above-mentioned frequency of training aspects, subject material, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid requirements are satisfied.
An application from any person, company or organisation wishing to become a Board-approved provider for a competence programme must be accompanied by curriculum vitae in the case of an individual or a company/organisation profile in the case of a company/organisation.
Any present training provider who has previously agreed to offer training in line with the Board's practising licence refresher course requirements and whose name appears on the Board's "Training Provider" list as at 28 October 2011 will be deemed to be a Board-approved provider for competence programmes.
Assessment of competence
Any Board-approved provider of a competence programme must satisfy themselves of the identity of all competence programme attendees.
Any Board-approved provider of a competence programme must assess the competency of the attendees completing any programme in relation to the attendees' "levels of knowledge" and advise the Board whether or not each attendee has satisfactorily completed the programme.
Any Board-approved provider of a competence programme will be audited annually by the Board.
Schedule 2
Subject material for competence programmes
(a) Electrical Inspector
The following is applicable to competence programmes for the electrical inspector practising licence class:
Subject material
Supervision of trainees
Earthing requirements as listed in AS/NZS 3000
The installation, operation and testing of residual current devices (RCCB, RCBO, SRCD and PRCD)
Prospective short circuit currents
Testing and certification as listed in AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 3760 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010
Inspection
(b) Electrician, Electrical Engineer and Electrical Installer
The following is applicable to competence programmes for the electrician, electrical engineer and electrical installer practising licence classes:
Subject material
Supervision of trainees
Earthing requirements as listed in AS/NZS 3000
The installation, operation and testing of residual current devices (RCCB, RCBO, SRCD and PRCD)
Prospective short circuit currents
Testing and certification as listed in AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 3760 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010
(c) Electrical Service Technician, Electrical Appliance Serviceperson (endorsed) and Associated Tradesperson
The following subject material is applicable to competence programmes for the electrical service technician and electrical appliance serviceperson (endorsed) and associated tradesperson practising licence classes:
Subject material
Supervision of trainees
Earthing requirements as listed in AS/NZS 3000
Operation and operational testing of residual current devices (RCCB, RCBO, SRCD and PRCD)
Prospective short circuit currents
Testing requirements in accordance with AS/NZS 3000 and AS/NZS 3760
(d) Electrical Appliance Serviceperson
The following subject material is applicable to competence programmes for the electrical appliance serviceperson practising licence class:
Subject material
Supervision of trainees
Earthing requirements as listed in AS/NZS 3000
The purpose, usage and operational testing of residual current devices
Prospective short circuit currents
Testing requirements in accordance with AS/NZS 3760
(e) Line Mechanic and Cable Jointer
The following subject material is applicable to competence programmes for the line mechanic and cable jointer practising licence classes:
Subject material
Supervision of trainees
Earthing requirements as listed in AS/NZS 3000
Testing and certification as listed in AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 3760 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010.