Building Wiring Cable compliance rules — extension approved

The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) has successfully negotiated an extension to new Building Wiring Cable requirements with NSW Fair Trading.

Building Wiring Cable became a declared electrical article in NSW in 2017, required to carry an electrical safety approval mark from 29 January 2018. This means contractors and wholesalers and contractors legally can only sell cables that have a NSW Approval Number.

NECA members and industry suppliers raised concerns about the practicality and ability to stamp products with the electrical safety approval mark by this date.

Negotiations between NECA NSW Executive Director Oliver Judd, NECA National CEO Suresh Manickam and NSW Fair Trading reached an agreement to extend the time up to 1 July 2018 for suppliers and wholesalers to ensure that cable in the marketplace is approved and stamped.

NSW Fair Trading said in statement that the new labelling requirement is an important reform to ensure that only approved Building Wiring Cable is used in the NSW building and construction sector. However, given the practical issues that many industry stakeholders face in being able to meet the commencement date, NSW Fair Trading considers that it is reasonable to provide a five-month extension as a transitional measure.

An Exemption Order has now been approved which allows the sale of declared Building Wiring Cable without electrical safety approval marking through until 1 July 2018 — provided the cable is compliant to all other requirements and standards, said NECA in a statement.

From 1 July this year, all declared Building Wiring Cable sold in NSW must fully comply with all requirements of the Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 at the time of sale. This includes having the electrical safety approval marking on the product.

“NECA has listened closely to the concerns of the electrotechnology sector and we have negotiated a time extension for the application of the electrical safety approval marking,” said Manickam.

“This gives NECA members, and the sector across NSW, an additional five months to prepare for these important new requirements.”

Judd said he was pleased with the outcome but encouraged members, wholesalers and suppliers to be fully prepared for the changes by July. “While we have been able to gain an extension of time for the application of the approval marking thanks to our strong relationship with NSW Fair Trading, the department has advised us that no further exemptions will be granted.”

NSW Fair Trading’s information sheet outlining the requirements can be found here.

Image credit: ©Duncan Andison/Dollar Photo Club