Compliance Insights January 2025

Regulatory changes 

Electrical Safety - Australia

EESS Database Updates

We have been advised by the EESS regulators that the supplementary fields (including rating plate and product images) on the certification database will remain optional until November 2025. 

In the interim 3rd party certifiers (such as UL NZ) are still able to add this information when they upload the certificate at the request of the certificate holder.

MEPS – Australia

Changes to lamps (light bulbs) registration requirements

From 4 October 2025 tungsten filament, carbon filament and halogen incandescent bulbs that are in scope of the regulations must meet and register under the GEMS (Incandescent Lamps for General Lighting Services) Determination 2024.

https://www.energyrating.gov.au/news-and-stories/changes-lamps-light-bulbs-registration-requirements 

Proposing Minimum Energy Performance Standards for Heat Pump Water Heaters

https://www.energyrating.gov.au/news-and-stories/proposing-minimum-energy-performance-standards-heat-pump-water-heaters

Consultation E3 Swimming Pool Pumps – MEPS and star rating calculations is now opened
Online forum will be available. Refer to link below for further information.

https://www.energyrating.gov.au/news-and-stories/improving-star-ratings-swimming-pool-pumps

E3 Swimming Pool Pumps – MEPS and star rating calculations - Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water

New Standard/ Amendment Published 

AS/NZS CISPR 11:2024

Industrial, scientific and medical equipment – Radio-frequency disturbance characteristics – Limits and methods of measurement
New edition; Published on 2025-01-20
FYI only.

IEC 62841-4-8:2025

Electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools and lawn and garden machinery - Safety - Part 4-8: Particular requirements for shredders/chippers
New edition; Published on 2025-01-31
FYI only.

IEC 62813:2025

Lithium-ion capacitors for use in electric and electronic equipment - Test methods for electrical characteristics
New edition; Published on 2025-01-17
FYI only.

IEC 60335-2-14:2025

Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-14: Particular requirements for kitchen machines
New edition; Published on 07 February 2025

• Editorial and technical alignment with IEC 60335-1:2020.
• Replace berry juice extractor with auger juicer and addition of a defined term (3.1.9.101, 3.5.107, 11.7.102, 19.1, 19.7).
• Clarification that appliances perform multiple functions specified in Standard, the test is carried out with the functions which give the most unfavourable conditions. 
• Appliances not intended for use by children are excluded from selected clauses assessment and require additional warning. (1, 7.12, 20.2, 20.106, 20.118).
• Different functions from different attachments of food Processor are considered during normal operation (e.g vegetable graters, cheese graters, mixing cake batter, meat/parmesan cheese chopping etc) and clarify that operating as instructed speed in manual. (3.1.9.111, 11).
• Change of knives operating period and cycles during normal operation, added lathe-type peelers and modification of the operating period for juicers with respect to the 0,5 kg carrot load and the operating time (11).
• Additional surface temperatures for external accessible surfaces (11.3, 11.8).
• Clarification to requirements for remote operation of kitchen machines (11.7, 19.7, 22.40, 22.49, 22.51).
• Modification of the spillage test of 15.2 to address leakage from the liquid container.
• Added spillage test to appliance with type X attachment and inlet connection. (15.101).
• Clarification of overfill testing with detachable gaskets and addition of gasket leakage test (15.2, 15.103).
• Clarification of the feed opening dimension limits in 20.2.
• Addition of requirements if safety relies on electronic circuit for the interlock function (20.2, 20.104, 20.108, 20.113).
• Addition of test probe 18 (children finger > 36 months) assessment. (20.2, 20.104, 20.106, 20.108, 20.113, 20.114, 20.117).
• Included alternative switch construction (with separate locking device for biased-off switch) assessment for hand-held blenders, food mixers and knives. (20.103).
• Clarification to assessment on blenders (not handheld type) with accessible blades. (20.104).
• Interlock requirements is now applicable for all appliances where it is required for compliance with the standard (20.113, 20.114).
• Clarification to biased-off switch assessment of cordless appliance with accessible blade (20.118).
• Update of the detergent used for centrifugal juicer conditioning (Annex AA).

Draft Standard/ Amendment Published 

DR AS/NZS 3112:2025

Approval and test specification – Plugs and Socket-outlets
To supersede AS/NZS 3112:2017+A1 with a 24-month transition timing.
The major changes in this edition are as follows:

• Addition of Appendix L containing requirements for socket-outlets with additional protection to restrict access to live parts via aperture sets (such as shutters or covers).
• Inclusion of new class of socket-outlet “socket with clamping or locking mechanism” defined in Clause 1.4.18.
• Additional requirement that plug pins shall be fixed in position and not adjustable to different configuration added to clause 2.13.9.1.
• Clause 3.9 “Sockets-outlets for worktop installation” renamed to “Socket-outlets with a supply flexible cord” (increases the products within scope of this clause). 
• Clause 3.10 “Floor socket-outlets” renamed to “protection for floor mounted socket-outlets” and requirements revised to only “Floor mounted socket-outlets intended to be installed in the floor, shall be protected by a floor box or enclosure conforming to AS/NZS IEC 60670.23” (current clauses 3.10.1 and 3.10.2 removed from standard).
• Clause 3.14.8.3 — Additional withdrawal test using a two-pin plug and clarification that this test is conducted without any clamping/locking mechanism engaged.
• Clause 3.14.8.4 — Additional withdrawal force tests for sockets with clamping or locking mechanism.
• Clause J.2.1 (b) -addition of wording “The detachable connection between the equipment and the plug portion shall not be via a defined plug in IEC TR 60083 or AS/NZS 3112.”
• Clause J.3.1 (e)  - Add exclusion “For detachable plug portions for use in other countries, the plug pin requirements of Clauses J.3.2 to J.3.6 are not applicable.”
• Clause J.4.8.1 – additional requirement “Live parts of the interconnection of the detachable plug portion and the equipment shall not be exposed when the plug portion is partially or fully engaged with the associated equipment.”
• Clause J.4.8.4 – Additional test for single spring-assisted contacts in detachable plugs.

Closing date for comments 2025-05-09

Standard/ Amendment Published but Pending Application

The following standards have an application date within the next 6 months

AS/NZS 60335.2.2:2020 Amendment 1

Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 2.2: Particular requirements for vacuum cleaners and water-suction cleaning appliances 
Amendment 1; Published on 2023-06-30

• For AS/NZS variation only: Docking stations of automatic battery-operated cleaners are required to be lock rotor tested and considered as unattended appliance during glow wire assessment. (19.7, 30.2.3).

Date of application: 2025-06-30

AS/NZS 61558.2.16:2022

Safety of transformers, reactors, power supply units and combinations thereof, Part 2.16: Particular requirements and tests for switch mode power supply units and transformers for switch mode power supply units for general applications
New edition; Published on 2022-06-24
Identical adoption of IEC 61558-2-16 Ed 2.0

• Editorial and technical alignment with AS/NZS 61558.1:2018 (IEC 61558-1:2017 ed.3.0).
• Definitions of different voltage characteristics.
• Partial discharge and description of constructions moved to part 1.
• Alternative method for dimensioning of clearances.
• Removal of requirements for homogeneous field conditions.
• Clarify transformer to be tested at 0.9- and 1.1-times rated voltage (14.102).
• Added example for determination of clearance and creepage distance (Annex CC).

Date of application: 2025-06-24

AS/NZS 62368.1:2022

Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment, Part 1: Safety requirements 
New edition; Published on 2022-06-24
Modified adoption of IEC 62368-1 Ed 3.0

• Requirements from IEC 60950-22 (outdoor equipment) and IEC 60950-23 (large data storage equipment) incorporated into this standard.
• All likely installation positions need to be considered including non-vertical surfaces regardless of the user installation instructions (4.1.6).
• Button battery requirements expanded to cover all chemistries (IEC adoption of AU/NZ difference) not just lithium (IEC only).
• General clarifications added regarding peak versus rms along with 3 second guidance for repetitive pulses.
• Antenna terminal requirements revised to align more with previous IEC 60065 standard requirements (5.4.5, 5.5.6).
• Requirements for functional earthing (from IEC 60950-1) added (5.6.8).
• Requirements for a battery backed up supply capable of backfeeding added (5.8).
• Fire enclosure requirements revised to include parts of the previous IEC 60950-1 requirements.
• Stability tests revised (8.6).
• Thermal requirements for wireless power transmitters added (9.6).
• Optical radiation safeguards revised and clarified (10.4).
• References to battery standards updated (IEC 62133-1 alkaline and IEC 62133-2 lithium) or added (IEC 62619 non-portable lithium).
• Television sets and display devices required to be provided with a fixing point or restraining device to prevent the equipment from toppling (AU ND 8.6.201 and 8.6.202).

Date of application: 2025-06-24

AS/NZS 62841.4.5:2022

Electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools and lawn and garden machinery – Safety, Part 4.5: Particular requirements for grass shears
New edition; Published on 2022-06-24
Supersedes AS/NZS 60335.2.94:2008

• Identical adoption of IEC 62841-4-5:2021 edition 1.

Date of application: 2025-06-24