Does my electrical equipment need approval before sale in Australia?

All electrical equipment intended for connection to mains electricity supply and intended for sale in Australia must be proven to be electrically safe.  Specific items (declared or prescribed electrical products) must in addition have approval certification and be marked to show compliance with this requirement.

New Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS) requirements 2012

In mid 2012 all suppliers of electrical equipment in Australia and New Zealand must also be registered on the public database and the electrical equipment they market must also be registered. QEC Global can assist suppliers in ensuring their equipment is not only approved but also registered on the public database. EESS Database renewal occurs on a 2 yearly basis and we can ensure that your registration remains current by utilising our internal reminder processes. QEC Global can take the confusion out of this new system for you and ensure that you are fully compliant with the new regulations.

QEC Global are experts in the field and can assist you in meeting these obligations for all electrical equipment and applicable electrical safety certification requirements.

How much does it cost?

It varies. Depending on what existing test reports you have access to will determine the amount of work required to gain approval in Australia/New Zealand. If additional testing is required, QEC Global will find the most efficient/cost effective laboratory to perform this testing and will liaise between laboratories and government departments on your behalf.

We charge only for the work performed and will provide you with a free estimate of the work required once you can supply us with a representative sample of the equipment and all the test reports you have access to.

How long will it take?

QEC Global understands that “time to market” is critical for our clients. Once all application documentation is compiled, we will send it to the approval office that has the shortest processing time at that point. We utilise the complete network of Government Departments and JAS-ANZ certified compliance firms in order to get your product approved in the shortest possible timeframes. Usually an application takes 2-3 weeks from start of assessment to issue of certificate. QEC Global prides itself on the completeness of our application documentation which saves time when dealing with Government approval offices.

What else do I need to be aware of?

Electrical Safety is one of the 3 key electrical components of approval in Australia/New Zealand. You also need to ensure you have EMC (ElectroMagnetic Compatability) compliance for your products and for certain appliances there are Energy Rating (MEPS) and Water Efficiency (WELS) requirements to be met. QEC Global will ensure that your equipment is covered for all of these due-diligence requirements as part of our standard compliance procedures if requested.

How do I start the process?

It’s really easy. Send us a sample of your product along with all the test reports you have so far. Typically you should be able to source from the factory reports known as “LVD” or safety reports, EMC reports and if applicable, ENERGY RATING reports to the applicable Australian or IEC/EN (international) standards for the product. Once we have an indication of how complete the reports are we can then advise a test plan and the estimated costs involved.

Why use QEC Services?

QEC Global has been assisting its clients to fulfil their responsibilities to public safety since 1999.  Our staff possesses of a wealth of Regulatory, Technical and Manufacturing experience and understand the legalities, technicalities as well as your obligations and business drivers. Our research facility is designed to allow our engineers to assess, test and report on the condition of the samples you intend to market. QEC global is not a test laboratory. All compliance testing is contracted to registered test facilities on your behalf.
The benefit of having QEC Global as a partner to your business is that you can concentrate on what you do best, knowing you have your electrical safety obligations in the hands of experts. Once you become a client, QEC Global will also keep you abreast of any changes in legislation that affect your equipment and will also act as a knowledge base for any future equipment you are considering marketing. Our clients range from Australian small to medium enterprises (SME’s) through to multi-national manufacturers, all of whom have acknowledged it is far better to outsource electrical compliance to the experts.