EWRB - Services

Roles and Responsibilities

Competency of Licensed Electrical Workers
Licensing of Registered Electrical Workers
Discipline of Licensed Electrical Workers
Promotion of electrical safety
Resource management, monitoring and review of outcomes

Services and Activities

To provide the services required of it, the Board enters into commercial transactions with organisations based on transparent and competitive tendering.

The Board constantly reviews the way in which things are done, plays a key role in informing the public about electrical and electronic safety issues and is responsible for running disciplinary hearings.

Register electrical and electronic workers including maintaining the register of such workers
Issues Provisional Licenses
Issues Tradesperson Certificates
Issues Practising Licenses
Issues and monitors Certificate of Compliance
Issues and monitors Electrical Safety Certificates
Educates both internal and external target audiences
Sets examinations in association with training providers
Audits electrical work in accordance with risk
Manages Complaints and Disciplinary Proceedings

Consumer Information

Information on heat pumps

Download information on heatpumps

Check List – When you need an Electrical Worker

Ask if they are a registered electrical worker with a current practising license– they should have an ID card which shows their registration number. Also you can check the electrical workers public register www.ewr.govt.nz to substantiate their credentials’.

ID cards

The following is a summary of the limits of work that can be undertaken by the different classes of electrical worker;

Electrical Inspector

The types of work an Electrical Inspector is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the installation or maintenance of conductors used in works or installations; and
(b) the installation or maintenance of fittings connected, or intended to be connected, to conductors used in works or installations; and
(c) the connection or disconnection of fittings to or from a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet; and
(d) the maintenance of appliances; and
(e) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and
(f) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and
(g) the inspection of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and
(h) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (g) above.

Electrician

The types of work an Electrician is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the installation or maintenance of conductors used in works or installations; and
(b) the installation or maintenance of fittings connected, or intended to be connected, to conductors used in works or installations; and
(c) the connection or disconnection of fittings to or from a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet; and
(d) the maintenance of appliances; and
(e) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and
(f) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and
(g) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (f) above.

Electrical Engineer

The types of work an Electrical Engineer is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the installation or maintenance of conductors used in works or installations; and
(b) the installation or maintenance of fittings connected, or intended to be connected, to conductors used in works or installations; and
(c) the connection or disconnection of fittings to or from a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet; and
(d) the maintenance of appliances; and
(e) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and
(f) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and
(g) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (f) above.

Electrical Installer

The types of work an Electrical Installer is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the installation or maintenance of conductors used in works or installations which are directly related to one or more of the following;

security systems; or
fire alarm systems; or
railway systems; or
lift/escalator systems; or
heating/ventilating/air conditioning systems; or
renewable energy systems of electrical supply which do not exceed 10kVA capacity and are intended for connection to a standard low voltage installation (not including any works, installation, appliance or fitting that may be connected to those systems of supply).

(b) the installation or maintenance of fittings connected, or intended to be connected, to conductors used in works or installations which are directly connected to one or more of the systems described in paragraph (a)(i) to (v) above; and
(c) the connection or disconnection of fittings to or from a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet which are directly connected to the systems described in paragraph (a)(i) to (v) above; and
(d) the maintenance of appliances which are directly connected to the systems described in paragraph (a)(i) to (v) above; and
(e) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above and;
(f) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and
(g) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (f) above.

Electrical Service Technician

The types of work an Electrical Service Technician is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the maintenance of fittings that are connected to conductors used in works or electrical installations; and
(b) the maintenance of appliances; and
(c) the disconnection and connection of fittings and appliances from and to a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet; for the purpose of the maintenance of those fittings; and
(d) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) to (c) above; and
(e) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) to (c) above; and
(f) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (e) above.

Electrical Appliance Serviceperson (Endorsed to disconnect and connect)

The types of work an Electrical Appliance Service Person (Endorsed to disconnect and connect) is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the maintenance of appliances that have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts which are supplied by plug and flexible cord; and
(b) the disconnection and connection of the appliances described in paragraph (a) above from a power supply where a plug or appliance coupler is not fitted but the flexible cord is connected to a permanent connection unit; and
(c) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) and (b) above; and
(d) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) and (b) above; and
(e) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above.

Electrical Appliance Serviceperson

The types of work an Electrical Appliance Service Person is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the maintenance of appliances that have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and are supplied by plug and flexible cord; and
(b) the testing of work described in paragraph (a) above; and
(c) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) and (b) above.

Associated Tradesperson

The types of work an Associated Tradesperson is permitted to carry out are:

Associated Tradesperson (Plumber)

(a) the maintenance and replacement of fittings that have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes which are one of the following:

storage water heater elements;
storage water heater thermostats.

(b) the disconnection and connection of fittings from or to a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet; where those fittings have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes and are one of the following;

waste disposal units;
electronic water control units;
water pressure devices;
storage water heaters.

(c) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) and (b) above; and
(d) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) and (b) above; and
(e) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above.

Associated Tradesperson (Gasfitter)

(f) the maintenance and replacement of fittings that have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes which form part of gas fired equipment; and
(g) the disconnection and connection of fittings from or to a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet; where those fittings have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes and form part of gas fired equipment; and
(h) the testing of work described in paragraphs (f) and (g) above; and
(i) the certification of work described in paragraphs (f) and (g) above; and
(j) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (f) to (i) above.

Associated Tradesperson (Plumber/Gasfitter)

(k) All of the work described in paragraphs (a) to (j) above.

Line Mechanic

The types of work a Line Mechanic is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the installation or maintenance of conductors used as electric lines in works; and
(b) the installation or maintenance of conductors used as electric lines in installations; and
(c) the installation or maintenance of fittings connected, or intended to be connected, to the work described in paragraph (a) above; and
(d) the installation or maintenance of fittings connected, or intended to be connected, to the work described in paragraph (b) above; and
(e) the connection or disconnection of work described in paragraphs (a) and (c) above to or from a power supply; and
(f) the connection or disconnection of work described in paragraphs (b) and (d) above to or from a power supply; and
(g) the maintenance of appliances where the appliance is supplied with electricity directly from an electric line; and
(h) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) to (g) above; and
(i) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) to (g) above; and
(j) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (i) above.

Cable Jointer

The types of work a Cable Jointer is permitted to carry out are:

(a) the installation or maintenance of conductors of low or high voltage polymeric and paper insulated cables including oil and gas filled cables and oil and gas pressured cables that necessitate the specialist jointing and terminating of such cables; and
(b) the installation or maintenance of fittings connected, or intended to be connected, to the work described in paragraph (a) above; and
(c) the connection of low voltage conductors described in paragraph (a) above or low voltage fittings described in paragraph (b) above to a power supply; and
(d) the testing of work described in paragraphs (a) to (c) above; and
(e) the certification of work described in paragraphs (a) to (c) above that is carried out in any installation; and
(f) the supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (e) above.

When installation work is completed the electrical worker must provide you with a Certificate of Compliance (CoC). This is your assurance that the work complies with the New Zealand Electrical and Safety Standards.
The first thing to do if you have a problem with electrical work is to discuss it with the electrical worker or company who did the job. If you can’t come to a resolution you’re happy with, you have the option of laying a formal complaint to the Electrical Workers Registration Board. Go to http://www.ewrb.govt.nz/content/complaints.html

If in doubt please call us free on 0800 661-000 (8.30am-5pm weekdays)

Use of Electrical Workers Registration Board Logo

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Page Last Modified: 2007-05-17

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