Safety labels for electrical goods
Certain electrical products and appliances, known as declared electrical articles, must be certified against Australian Standards and marked accordingly before they can be sold in NSW.
When you buy declared electrical articles, you should look for the approval number, also known as an approval mark.
Electrical articles can be approved by:
- NSW Fair Trading
- equivalent government agencies in Australia, or
- certain private certifiers that have been approved under the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017.
Below is a list of the certifiers approved in NSW and their approval number or mark. The 'x' represents the individual approval number.
| Approval Scheme | Approval number or mark |
|---|---|
| NSW Fair Trading | NSW xxxxx |
| Other State Government agencies | Q xxxxx, ESO xxxxx, V xxxxx, ESV xxxxx, S xxxxx, T xxxxx |
| Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) |  |
| SAI Global Certification Services Pty Ltd | SAI TE EA xxxxxxx or SAI SMK EA xxxxxx or SAI-xxxxxx-EA |
| The Australian Gas Association (AGA) | AGA xxxxxx EA or AGA xxxxxx G EA |
| SGS Australia Pty Ltd | SGSEA xxxxxx or SGS-xxxxxx-EA |
| SAA Approvals Pty Ltd | SAA xxxxxx EA |
| UL International New Zealand Limited | ULL xxxxxx EA |
| TUV Rheinland Australia Pty Ltd | TUV xxxxxx EA |
| Global Mark Pty Ltd | GMA-xxxxxx-EA |
| Market Access (AUS) Pty Ltd trading as Certification Body Australia | CBA xxxxxx or CBA-xxxxxx-EA |
| Australian Safety Approval | ASA-xxxxxx-EA |
| Conformity Certification Services Pty Ltd | CCS-xxxxxx-EA |
Where an approval mark or number is not visible
The approval mark should be permanently on the article itself – being on the box or container is not sufficient. If you cannot see an approval number or mark on a declared electrical article, ask the salesperson to show you the approval number. If they can't show it to you, don't buy it. If you find a store selling declared electrical articles that have no approval numbers or markings, contact NSW Fair Trading. We are responsible for monitoring the safety of electrical goods sold in NSW.
Remember electricity can kill. Electrical products that have not been tested and approved for sale in Australia may not meet Australian Standards and can be dangerous!
Making a complaint
When making a complaint, you should include:
- details of the issues you are experiencing
- copies of any correspondence that shows how you have tried to resolve the matter.
How NSW Fair Trading will handle your complaint
Your complaint will be reviewed to determine the most appropriate resolution. This may include:
- providing you with information to help resolve your complaint
- recording the complaint issues to assist in future compliance programs, or
- contacting the other party to try and resolve the dispute.
You can lodge a complaint:
Online
If you cannot resolve your matter, submit your complaint by using our form.
By mail
Post your complaint form and documentation to:
NSW Fair Trading
PO Box 972
Parramatta NSW 2124
Ask a question
If you are unable to find the information you need, you can call us between 8:30am to 5pm on Monday to Friday. You can also use our form to make an enquiry.