A year on the national initiative between Voltimum – an electrical industry information hub, and NECA – the industry’s peak body, to stamp out non-compliant products is demonstrating its true value.  The awareness of the dangers of using non-compliant products has jumped from 28% to 89% in just a year.  And what’s more, the awareness of there being a new regulator to manage the investigation process, the Electrical Equipment Safety System, is now at over 75% - up from zero over the same period.

“This is extremely good news for the entire industry,” says Suresh Manickam, NECA CEO.  “Safety is our biggest concern, and knowing that NECA electrical contractors are so aware of the issues associated with non-compliant products, and at the same time aware of where to report anything they see being sold that doesn’t meet Australian standards, means this initiative is even more successful than we expected.”

Kim Craig, Voltimum Country Committee Chairman added “We are encouraged with the progress this initiative has made in the past year. Safety and quality are imperative for electrical products, that’s why we need to make the public aware of all the potentially unsafe product that’s available in the market, the Does it Comply? campaign makes that very simple - just by visiting the website to view the recalled products identified by the electrical safety regulators.”

The other trends identified were:

• over 75% of electrical contractors are aware of the new Electrical Equipment Safety Scheme (EESS),
• 63% realise they can be liable for any product that does not meet Australian Standards,
• The majority felt that the Does it Comply? initiatives would lead to:
  
  • more awareness,
  • greater safety (particular at home),
  • less non-compliant products on the market,
  • better standards across Australia, and
  • many also felt that “the fines are not heavily enough” to be a real deterrent.

Over 400 people have participated in our two surveys:

• 51% of the respondents have 1-5 employees,
• 17% 6-10 employees, and
• 13% 61+ employees.

The Does it Comply? campaign is now in its second year and the current marketing drive is to get even more contractors to sign ‘the pledge’.  This is commitment to stamping out non-compliant products by listening to a 10-minute webinar and successfully completing a series of questions around the topic [https://www.voltimum.com.au/brand/does-it-comply]

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Media enquiries and interviews

Barry Jackson – national marketing and communications
E barry.jackson@neca.asn.au
D 02 9962 6904
M 0457 767 328

Damir Pletikosa – Sales & Marketing Manager, Voltimum ANZ
E damir.pletikosa@voltimum.com 
D 02 9600 0959
M 0427 043 193