The community expects the electrical appliances they use to be safe. This fact sheet summarises electrical safety laws for importing, selling or hiring out electrical appliances and equipment in Western Australia. It does not cover other appliance requirements such as electromagnetic interference limits and energy efficiency ratings.

Exposure to the risks of electricity is greatest at the point where it does its job - at electrical appliances and the cords connecting them to the electricity supply. For this reason, the Electricity Act 1945 prohibits the sale of household electrical appliances unless approved by an Australian regulatory authority. Part X of the Electricity Regulations 1947 deals with the safety of electrical appliances.

The Director of Energy Safety is the person responsible for administering the Electricity Act 1945 and associated regulations, including those relating to the safety of electrical appliances.

Prescribed electrical appliances - typically household electrical appliances

The Electricity Act 1945 provides for the Director of Energy Safety to prescribe the appliance classes and types that must be approved by the Director, an interstate regulatory authority or a designated agency before they can be sold, hired or advertised for sale or hire, or imported into Western Australia. These appliances must go through a certification process which ensures a safe design before they can enter the Australian or New Zealand markets.

A "Certificate of Conformity" is issued if the person intending to sell an appliance satisfactorily demonstrates that he or she has accepted the responsibility of ensuring the appliance is safe for use. The most common way of doing this is by the person showing that the appliance complies with relevant technical specifications and tests for electrical safety as set out in Australian and New Zealand published Standards. The responsibility to obtain approval rests with the seller or hirer of the appliances. The approval certificate is for a perticular model of appliance and can be used by any seller or hirer.

Regulatory authority certification in any one State or Territory is recognised by all other States and Territories. Building and Energy does not issue Certificates of Conformity but recognises certificates issued by other State and Territory regulators and certification agencies.

Regulators and certification agencies

Building and Energy recommends contacting one of the following regulators or designated certification agencies for enquiries about the certification process:

• Electrical Safety Office, Office of Industrial Relations , Queensland;
• New South Wales Fair Trading, NSW Office of Finance and Services;
• Energy Safe Victoria, Department of Energy and Resources, Victoria;
• Office of the Technical Regulator, South Australia;
• Worksafe Tasmania;
• Conformity Certification Services Pty Ltd (ACN 161 881 401) trading as EESS Conformity Certification;
• Australian Gas Association (ACN 004 206 044);
• Australian Safety Approval (ACN 156 000 234);
• BSI Group Holdings Pty Ltd (ACN 120 380 761);
• Global-Mark Pty Ltd (ACN 108 087 654);
• International Testing and Certification Services Pty Ltd (ABN 60 098 886 563);
• Market Access (AUS) Pty Ltd (ACN 143 087 692) trading as Certification Body Australia;
• SAA Approvals Pty Limited (ACN 125 451 327);
• SAI Global Limited (ABN 67 050 611 642);
• SGS Systems and Services Certification Pty Ltd (ACN 060 156 014);
• Testing and Certification Australia (ABN 67 505 337 385);
• TUV Rheinland Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 124 175 953); or
• UL International New Zealand Limited – 1983441 – NZBN:9429033144313.

Prescribed Articles List - Level 3 equipment

The appliances prescribed by the Director of Energy Safety are those listed as "Level 3" in Appendix B Table B.4 of AS/NZS 4417.2:2020 ‘Regulatory compliance mark for electrical and electronic equipment Part 2: Specific requirements for particular regulatory applications’.

Level 3 is classified as potentially high risk equipment, and must meet the following requirements:

• be linked to a registered Responsible Supplier;
• be registered on the National Database;
• have a valid Certificate of Conformity (Certificate) from a recognised certifier; and
• be marked with the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM).

The list below is an extract from Table B.4 of AS/NZS 4417.2:2020. It shows some of the appliances which are considered as Level 3 and are prescribed by the Director:

• Air conditioner incorporating flammable refrigerant
• Appliance connector
• Arc welding machine
• Bayonet lampholder
• Lampholder adaptor
• Beauty care lamp
• Blanket
• Bread toaster
• Building wiring cable
• Clothes dryer
• Control or conditioning device
• Cooking appliance – portable type
• Cord extension socket
• Cord-line switch
• DC isolator
• Decorative lighting outfit
• Dishwashing machine
• Double capped light emitting semiconductor lamp
• Edison screw lampholder
• Electric hot water bottle
• Evaporative cooler
• Fan
• Fence energizer
• Fluorescent lamp ballast
• Fluorescent lamp starter
• Glue gun
• Hair care appliance
• Hedge clipper
• Immersion heater
• Insect electrocutor
• Inspection headlamp
• Iron
• Kitchen machine
• Lawn care appliance
• Light emitting semiconductor lamp (self-ballasted)
• Liquid heating appliance
• Luminaire – portable type
• Message appliance
• Microwave oven
• Miniature overcurrent and circuit breaker
• Nightlight – mains socket-outlet mounted
• Outlet device
• Over blanket/Duvet/Wrap
• Plug
• Power supply or charger
• Range
• Range hood
• Razor/hair clipper
• Refrigerating appliance
• Residual current device
• Room heater
• Socket-outlet
• Socket outlet with supply flexible cord
• Soldering iron
• Submersible pump
• Supply flexible cord
• Swimming pool or spa equipment
• Tool – portable type
• Vacuum cleaner
• Wall switch
• Washing machine
• Water heater​

​Please refer to the Standard for a full list of level 3 prescribed appliances and definitions of the different types of appliances.

Compliance Marks

Prescribed appliances must be approved before they are offered for sale. They must be marked with either the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) or the Approval Number. The conditions for use of the RCM are set out in AS/NZS 4417. Approval numbers are issued by a State or Territory electrical safety regulator when satisfied that a product complies with the electrical safety regulations. The RCM must conform to the design below:

 

Typical approval numbers are:

• Q<number>
• ESO<number>
• NSW<number> *after 24 Feb 2005
• N<number> *before 24 Feb 2005
• T<number>
• S<number>
• CCS<number>
• V<number>
• ESV<number>
• AGA<number>EA
• ASA<number>EA
• GMA<number>EA
• CBA<number>EA
• SAA<number>EA
• SAI TE EA<number>
• SAI SMK EA<number>
• SAI<number>EA
• SGS EA<number>EA
• TCA<number>EA
• TUV<number>EA
• A<number>EA
• U<number>EA