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Electrical equipment safety and efficiency

ESV has compiled a list FAQs on electrical equipment safety and efficiency. If your query is not addressed below, please contact us.

  • Through an online search:

    By checking the equipment:

    In-scope electrical equipmentExternal Link must have the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) marked on the appliance. This RCM mark is pictured below.

    Further information on approval marking is available hereExternal Link .

    A regulatory compliance mark graphic, showing a tick or check mark in a broken circle within a rounded triangle, all in black.
    Regulatory compliance mark (RCM)

  • The most common and high-energy use products are subject to Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and/or the Energy Rating Label. There is a fee to register the appliance, which varies according to the type of equipment and category of application. For more information, please see:

    • The Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) Act 2012
    • Equipment Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS)
    • GEMS Act Compliance
    • Equipment Energy Labelling

    The above information can be found at:

  • Caution should be taken when buying electrical equipment online. Some items for sale on the internet may not meet Australian safety standards. You should ensure that the supplier has an entity registered in Australia or New Zealand, and are contactable should you have any concerns regarding compliance.

  • Do not use ageing or faulty electrical appliances including an appliance with a frayed cord, cracked or broken plug.

    If the supply cord is damaged i.e. frayed or cracked:

    • dispose of the product or;
    • engage with the manufacturer, its service agent or a similarly qualified person to replace the cord to prevent a dangerous situation.

    Do not attempt to repair faulty electrical appliances yourself – only qualified repair technician or a licensed electrician can repair appliances.

    Electrical equipment with uninsulated plug pins indicates that they are over 10 years old. It is recommended that you check and dispose of any old electrical equipment showing signs of deterioration i.e. discoloration of the enclosure, cracks or deformation in the enclosure.

  • The state government is helping Victorian households reduce their power bills by offering financial incentives for free LED lights upgrades through the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program. If you are still using incandescent bulbs or CFLs in your home or business, you may get them replaced with LED lights under the scheme.

    For more information, contact:

  • NABERS is a national rating system that measures the environmental performance of Australian buildings. For more information, visit NABERSExternal Link .

  • For household use

    If the electrical equipment you intend on selling is designed or marked as suitable for household use, your equipment may fall under In-Scope electrical equipment. Suppliers selling in-scope electrical equipment must register as Responsible SuppliersExternal Link .

    To determine whether your electrical equipment is In-ScopeExternal Link , see section ‘In-scope’ on the EESS External Link website. You may also wish to consider engaging a specialist consultant.

    For exclusive for Commercial/Industrial use

    All electrical equipment being sold must be electrically safe. This generally means you need to demonstrate your equipment meets the relevant Australian Standard. For information on electrical equipment that is not In-scope, see section ’Not In-scopeExternal Link ’ in the EESS website for more detail

    Information on the steps for compliance with EESS for selling electrical equipment is available hereExternal Link .

  • An applicant guide has been developed to assist users with registering as a Responsible Supplier, and registering electrical equipment in the EESS Registration database. Once registered, an email will be sent to the nominated email address with details of the Registered Responsible Supplier (RRS) number and a temporary password. Visit EESS for information on how to register.

  • General Enquiries and Database Technical Support: eessadmin@oir.qld.gov.au

    Please state your issue in the email and include your contact number, if you require a call back.

  • A person may apply for Australian certification of electrical equipment to ESV via EESS External Link – see Equipment Certification Login. First time users will need to create an account in the certification database.

    An Applicant GuideExternal Link has been developed to assist users making an application for certification. There are two types of certificates:

    Note: All certificates are required to be issued in accordance with the Equipment Safety RulesExternal Link .

  • See the list of Compliant RCBOs

  • ESV has imposed additional requirements on the supply of RCBOs in Victoria. For further information see these pages:

Date: 19/03/2024 3:20

Controlled document

The currency and accuracy of this document cannot be guaranteed once printed or saved to a storage device. If in doubt, please check the ESV website for the current version.

Reviewed 11 May 2023

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