Pursuant to Regulation 87 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 (“Regulations”), I, Mark Stephen Wogan, Manager, Energy Safety, WorkSafe New Zealand, give the following notice:

Notice

1. Short title and commencement—This notice is the Electricity (Safety) Regulations (Rechargeable Dehumidifiers) Notice 2016.

This notice takes effect on and from the 28th day after the date of publication of this notice in the New Zealand Gazette.

2. Prohibited equipment—The manufacture, importation, sale (including an offer to sell), installation and use of the electrical fittings, being rechargeable dehumidifiers as described in this notice, are prohibited.

3. Description—The rechargeable dehumidifiers are described as follows:

1. A plastic enclosure made up of two halves, with both faces containing a number of ventilation holes and a ‘wet or dry’ colour-changing indicator.
2. The enclosure is filled with silica gel crystals.
3. It is supplied with a plug and lead, made up with an IEC 60320 Standard Sheet C7 connector.
4. The internal construction consists of a metal plate with two elements (comprising a carbon material sandwiched between two small metallic plates) wrapped in polyimide or similar plastic that are clamped onto the steel plate. The element plates are directly connected by conductors onto an IEC 60320 Standard Sheet C8 connector.
5. There is no voltage marking on the appliance.
6. The appliance may also be supplied with an unsafe plug and adaptor.

Note: This image shows examples of heat-damaged rechargeable dehumidifiers supplied with an unsafe plug and adaptor.

The rechargeable dehumidifiers are referred to as the following:

1. a rechargeable dehumidifier;
2. a mini rechargeable dehumidifier;
3. a cordless mini dehumidifier; and
4. a dehumidifier rechargeable portable reusable.

They may be marketed under other names and identifiers.

4. Reasons for prohibition—The rechargeable dehumidifiers described in this notice are deemed to be electrically unsafe as provided by Regulation 23 of the Regulations, in that:

1. the voltage at which the rechargeable dehumidifiers operate safely is not appropriately and adequately marked on the appliance; and
2. the rechargeable dehumidifiers are not constructed so as to be safe under both normal and abnormal conditions, because there is inadequate control of the temperature in normal use. Therefore there may be the risk of property damage as a result of fire arising from its normal operation or unforeseeable use.

Dated at Wellington this 16th day of June 2016.

MARK STEPHEN WOGAN, Manager, Energy Safety, WorkSafe New Zealand.