Do you supply electrical equipment as part of your job?

If you supply electrical equipment as part of your job—such as lights, aircons and safety switches—you have specific duties under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 to ensure they are safe.

Electrical equipment safety system (EESS)

The EESS ensures in-scope (household) electrical equipment is safe before it’s offered for sale in Australia and New Zealand by requiring responsible suppliers to provide evidence to demonstrate the electrical equipment meets Australian safety standards.

The EESS outlines the safety requirements for registration of responsible suppliers and equipment in a centralised national database.

All in-scope electrical equipment sold and installed in Queensland must comply with relevant standards, be electrically safe and be marked with the Regulatory Compliance Mark.

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The EESS provides traceability of the product to an Australian or New Zealand based entity (responsible supplier) by requiring responsible suppliers to register certain high-risk products. There are three risk levels of electrical equipment:

• Level 2 and 3 electrical equipment must be registered on the EESS.
• Level 1 electrical equipment can be optionally listed, but the responsible supplier for the product must be registered.

Read more about the risk levels.

The EESS does not apply to commercial and industrial equipment unless it can also be used in a domestic setting. However, it still must be electrically safe.

Responsible suppliers

A responsible supplier either manufactures in-scope equipment in Australia or New Zealand or imports electrical equipment. They must ensure that the equipment meets the relevant safety standards and is electrically safe.

When an electrical contractor provides in-scope electrical equipment to install for a customer, the equipment must be traceable back to a registered responsible supplier. You can check by searching the national database using the brand and model number of the equipment.

If an electrical contractor directly imports or manufactures in-scope electrical equipment, they become a responsible supplier under the EESS, and must comply with the specific requirements of the EESS before selling the equipment.

Electrical equipment supplied by customers

Customers may ask you to install electrical equipment they have provided, such as chandeliers or hard-wired kitchen products manufactured overseas. As an electrical contractor, you need to ensure the equipment is safe and compliant.

Customers rely on your knowledge about the safety of electrical equipment. If the equipment is unsafe or non-compliant, don’t install it. Even if you didn’t supply the equipment, you have a duty as the installing electrician to take reasonable steps to confirm the safety of the product.

Further information

For more information visit eess.gov.au