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Registrar's Review
Administration
During the year:
- The independent review of the Board’s administrative and
operation systems was adopted and is expected to be implemented
in the 2000/2001 financial year.
- The Board delegated to the Registrar responsibility for
preparing, signing and serving of notices to people who are the
subject of a disciplinary hearing.
- The Service Level Agreement was renewed between the Board
and the Ministry.
Communications
Electrical Worker Communications
The Board’s communication strategy will focus on providing
the Board with a distinctive brand and image which includes the
new “Safety • Competency” logo and changing the colour of all
practising licences to blue and yellow.
ElectroLink Magazine continued to be the Board’s primary
communication channel for the circulation of information to
electrical workers and will continue to be for the next 3 years.
Again this year, the Board participated in a number of
industry shows:
- ECANZ - national and regional shows and annual conference.
- The Appliance and Electronic Industry Association
conference and trade show.
- Public Services Expo - Auckland.
- International Science Festival - Dunedin.
- Electritech ‘99 - Auckland.
Public Relations and Advertising
The Electrical Safety Week campaign was conducted in
June/July 1998 and included the television advertising campaign
“Don’t get your wires crossed” plus editorial coverage in 47
community newspapers.
The Board’s future promotion and publicity will be
implemented through a 3-year communication strategy being
developed for the Board by a public relations company. This
company was appointed after an extensive public tendering and
selection process.
An advertising campaign commencing in July 1999 will promote
the need to use only electrical workers who hold a current
practising licence. The campaign will involve billboard
advertising and extensive advertising in selected magazines.
Internet Access
The Board has established an internet website at
www.ewrb.govt.nz. This site includes a Board profile, profiles
of individual Board Members and all publicity material released
over the past months. It will ultimately include documents such
as the Policy and Procedure Manual for the Recognition of
Overseas Qualifications and Experience and supervision
guidelines.
Disciplinary Hearings
During the year, the Registrar received 115 Complaints
Assessment Committee reports, 65 of which recommended that the
Board conduct a disciplinary hearing and 50 which recommended
that no further action be taken. The Board conducted 81 hearings
which comprised the 65 disciplinary hearings, 9 adjourned
hearings and 7 hearings to consider interim suspensions. The 65
disciplinary hearings involved 59 electricians, 3 electrical
inspectors and 3 line mechanics. Disciplinary action was taken
against 35 electricians and 1 electrical inspector.
There were 57 new complaints received during the year. 84
Complaints Assessment Committee meetings were conducted and
there were 8 complaints yet to be finalised. Since the inception
of the disciplinary hearing regime in 1994, 286 complaints have
been received of which 278 have been completed.
The Ministry of Commerce conducted a review of the operation
of Complaints Assessment Committees. The Board had expressed
concerns about the operation of the Committees, particularly
with the time taken to complete this part of the disciplinary
process. The Board was extensively involved in the review and
was generally satisfied with the initial changes instigated as a
result of the outcomes. An additional discussion paper was
presented to the Ministry that outlines further changes that
could be made to the Complaints Assessment Committee process to
allow speedier resolution. This paper is the subject of on-going
discussions with the Ministry and resolution is expected this
year.
Industry Training Organisations
The relationship between the Board and various Industry
Training Organisations continues to develop. The electrician
registration Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the
Electrotechnology Industry Training Organisation (ETITO) was
updated and redrafted and a new MOU regarding electrical service
technician registration was drafted. Both Memoranda are expected
to be implemented before the New Year. The MOU with the
Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation (ESITO)
regarding line mechanic registration was signed. It is expected
that agreement on the line mechanic unit standards will be
reached in the New Year.
The Board is supporting a joint project
between the ETITO, ESITO and the New Zealand Engineering, Food
and Manufacturing Industry Training Organisation to develop a
common unit standard training package incorporating electrical
service technician registration. It is intended that the
training package will include a common core that supports
specialised streams relevant to the training of each Industry
Training Organisation.
The Board is not directly involved in the
development of the unit standards, but is liaising closely with
the organisations concerned, to ensure appropriate registration
requirements are included. The Board is very appreciative of the
assistance, advice and co-operation received from the Industry
Training Organisations, their Chief Executives and staff.
Policy Development and Reviews
Legislative Environment
The “Review of the Safety Regime for Electricity and Gas
Work” being conducted jointly by the Ministry of Commerce and
the Occupational Safety and Health Service of the Department of
Labour is continuing. The Board has participated in a number of
industry fora regarding the review and has also had discussions
with officials managing the review. It is expected that the
paper containing the proposed changes will be presented to
Cabinet towards the end of 1999.
One of the major changes likely to be recommended is that the
Board become a “stand-alone” entity with no formal links to the
Ministry. However, while this change may be foreshadowed in the
paper to the Cabinet, legislative changes required to allow this
will take some time.
A Statutes Amendment Bill has been drafted and will be
introduced into the House in the 2000 sitting year. The Bill
proposes that the Registrar be able to reject frivolous or
vexatious complaints, and a complaint can be processed against a
person who has had his/her registration suspended. The Board
withdrew the proposal regarding the granting of statutory powers
of entry to conduct audits.
Review of Fees and Charges
In August 1998, a discussion paper was circulated to industry
regarding proposed changes to the Board’s fees and charges. The
paper was also circulated through the August/September 1998
issue of ElectroLink magazine. The proposal to alter the fees
and charges arose as a result of an independent analysis of the
functions carried out by the Ministry on behalf of the Board.
This analysis was extended to cover the fees and charges
detailed in schedule 9 to the Electricity Regulations 1997.
These fees and charges have not changed since 1990.
The paper proposed a fee structure that removed
crosssubsidisation wherever possible, and ensured individual
fees and charges reflected the actual cost of providing
services. The removal of cross-subsidisation would mean that
some fees and charges, particularly registration application
fees, will increase. Ensuring the fees and charges reflect the
cost of the service provided, means for example, that practising
licence fees would be the same for all classes of registration,
reflecting the fact that auditing now occurs across all classes.
In addition, the fee structure proposed that Certificate of
Compliance charges would be rationalised to $6 for both domestic
and commercial/industrial certificates with the 6-monthly
commercial/industrial certificates reducing to $50. The
rationale for this move is that the significance of Certificates
of Compliance within the auditing process has reduced
substantially, therefore it was inappropriate to continue with
the price differential. The flat charge is also more reflective
of the administration costs involved.
At the time of writing, practising licence fees had been
adjusted (each licence will cost $92) for the next financial
year. The Board has the statutory authority to vary these fees.
Changes to all other fees and charges must be by amendment to
the Electricity Regulations 1997. It is considered unlikely that
the new fees and charges structure will be approved before
December, although it is hoped to gain approval for the
rationalising of Certificate of Compliance charges prior to
this.
Review of the Practising Licence Regulations
In the May/July 1998 issue of ElectroLink magazine, industry
was invited to comment on the practising licence regulations and
suggest any changes that should be made. This review has been
deferred until the outcome of the review of the safety regime
conducted by the Ministry and OSH is completed.
Review of Energy Inspection Group
To ensure on-going efficiency, a review group is carrying out
a project within the Ministry to define the role and structure
the Energy Inspection Group (EIG), of which the EWRB Operations
Group forms part.
The Board has had numerous discussions with the review team
and has given approval, in principle, to an indicative structure
that splits EIG into a licensing group and an energy safety and
quality group. The Board functions would be within the licensing
group.
Auditing Programme
A risk-based auditing programme was implemented during the
year. The main emphasis in the risk-based approach is to ensure
compliance by those audited. Where workers are found to be
non-compliant, all effort is made to advise them what is
required and to assist them to become compliant.
The pilot audits targeted a selection of electrical workers
that the programme deems “high risk”.
Supervision
In February a policy on supervision was adopted in principle.
The main objective of the policy is to provide guidance on how
to apply supervision, as defined in the Electricity Act 1992, in
a practical environment and by ensuring the guidelines reflect
current industry practice. The Board considers it important that
any guidelines issued reflect supervision practices used across
the whole of the electrical industry and are undertaking a
consultation process with the industry. A formal policy is
expected to be completed toward the end of 1999.
Electrical Service Technician Registration
Changes to the structure of this registration class will be
implemented from 1 January 2000. From that date, electrical
service technician registration with a 230 volt limitation (EST
“A”) will cease to be a prerequisite to the electrical service
technician registration with a 460 volt limitation (EST “B”).
The rationale behind this change stems from the development
of unit standards for electrical service technicians currently
being developed jointly by three Industry Training
Organisations.
From 1 January 2000, people will be able to choose which
course is appropriate to their personal circumstances. It must
be noted that a person who only has experience relating to an
EST “A” registration can complete the EST “B” course,
examination and practical assessment requirements and gain an
EST “A” registration. There will also be an 18-month
transitional period to allow those people undertaking training
or who hold and EST “A” registration, access to EST “B” courses,
examinations and practical assessments as they are presently
structured.
Electrical Safety Certificates
The Electrical Safety Certificate scheme, introduced in 1997
to complement the Certificate of Compliance regime, has met with
favourable reaction from industry, particularly those employing
electrical service technicians. Use of certificates is expected
to increase significantly next year once the July 1999 publicity
campaign takes effect. This scheme will be reviewed in the
coming year, which could result in a fee being charged for the
certificates to cover printing and distribution costs.
The
certificates are available only to those people who hold a
current practising licence. While their use is voluntary, they
are increasing in importance as they become more recognisable by
the public. Certificates also form part of the audit process in
the same manner as Certificates of Compliance. Electrical
workers who use Electrical Safety Certificates (and continue to
hold a current practising licence) are considered “low risk” and
their only contact with the audit system will be through sample
audits.
The Certificates can be used to certify any electrical work,
other than that required to be certified on a Certificate of
Compliance.
There were 3,096 books of certificates issued during the
year. 5,491 books were sent to those people who applied for an
electrical service technician practising licence in the 1998/99
year. A book comprises 50 Certificates.
YK2 Readiness
The EWRB Operations Group and Information and Services Unit
are jointly preparing a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) for
preparedness in the event of failure of critical functions. The
plan will cover building services, telecommunications; database
access; computer records; banking services and computer
services. The plan will require the two sections to be familiar
with the building services, computer services and financial
system components of the Ministry-wide Business Continuity Plan
by 30 November 1999.
It is proposed that plans for the other functions be in place
and tested by 30 November 1999. This will include alternative
telecommunication arrangements; alternative manual processes
documented and tested; and essential information determined and
electronic and hard copy back-ups for the manual processes
produced. By 10 December 1999 key personnel will be identified
and fully briefed on the BCP requirements in time for the New
Year.
John Sickels
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