Latest news
Summer 2019
energysafe issue 56
Stay bright, and safe,
this Christmas How we
performed in
2018-19
By Goran Sokoleski, Senior Engineer – Market Intelligence & Enforcement By Jonathan Granger, Head of
Communications and Marketing
With Christmas just around the corner, ESV is urging
consumers to take care when they purchase lights and
other electrical decorations. Energy Safe Victoria’s Corporate Plan
and our Annual Report for 2018-19 can
now be accessed on the ESV website.
Recently, we conducted a compliance
audit of Christmas lights at speciality
stores across Melbourne and audited
140 items. We were pleased that only
two products were identified as
non-compliant which is a below
average non-compliance rate.
It is believed that the newly-introduced
Electrical Equipment Safety System
(EESS) legislation is the reason for this
below average non-compliance rate.
The non-compliant products did not
have the Regulatory Compliant Mark
(RCM) – pictured below – on the
rating label.
If consumers are considering buying
products online they are encouraged
to check if the product is registered
on the EESS website, by going to
www.eess.gov.au before making
a purchase.
Also, ESV is encouraging consumers
to carefully inspect any old Christmas
decorations to ensure they are in good
condition before they are plugged into
power. If there is any damage to the
insulation of the cables, or if there is
fraying, ESV recommends that the
plug should be cut off and the lights
disposed of.
ESV is now considering taking regulatory
action against the supplier of these
products.
Even though the results of the
compliance audit revealed that suppliers
of Christmas lights are supplying
compliant products, ESV is still
encouraging consumers to carefully
check any Christmas decorations they
wish to buy to make sure they carry
the RCM symbol. This ensures that the
product has been tested and certified to
the relevant Australian safety standard.
What to look for: Regulatory Compliant Mark (RCM)
These two documents provide a
detailed account of our performance
over the past financial year and
outline our vision for the next three
years as we continue to deliver real
differences in the safety outcomes for
all Victorians.
This year marked the 10th anniversary
of the Black Saturday Bushfires and it
was a stark reminder of our on-going
obligation to reduce the risk of
catastrophic fire caused by electricity
assets.
The community expects its regulators,
including ESV, to keep raising the
standards associated with the way
risks are managed to achieve safer
outcomes.
This is even more critical in the face of
climate change, emerging technologies
and a transforming energy industry.
To meet these challenges, ESV must
anticipate and constantly refine the
tools and powers at our disposal.
Our Corporate Plan outlines how
we will continue ESV’s journey from
a small technical and specialist
regulator to one that has a broader and
deeper set of skills to do its job more
effectively. Key areas of focus include:
» Ensuring electricity infrastructure
businesses are mitigating the risk
of catastrophic fire
» Improving electricity, gas and
pipeline infrastructure safety
» Ensuring complex gas fitting and
electrical work complies with safety
standards
» Building on community awareness
around the dangers of carbon
monoxide poisoning
The Annual Report and the
Corporate Plan can be accessed
at www.esv.vic.gov.au
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