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Title / Demonstrate and apply knowledge of electrical legislation, regulations andcodes of practice for substation maintenance
Level / 4 / Credits / 8
Purpose / People credited with this- unit standard are able to demonstrate knowledge of: regulatory requirements of earthing in electricity supply substations; electrical bonding in an electricity supply substation; the Electricity Act 1992 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, including any subsequent amendments; codes of practice and requirement;and the testing and verification requirements of AS/NZS 3000.
This unit standard partially fulfils the requirements for registration for substation maintainers with the Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB).
Classification / Electricity Supply >Electricity Supply - Core Skills
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1This unit standard is intended for assessment off-job. The range statementsand evidence requirements across the unit standard can be applied according to industry specific equipment, procedures, and processes as applied in the electricity supply industry.
2Performance and work practices in relation to the outcomes and evidence requirements must comply with all current legislation, especially the Electricity Act 1992 and any subsequent amendments, any regulations, codes of practice recognised under that statute; Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 and any subsequent amendments; Resource Management Act 1991 and any subsequent amendments; electricity supply industry codes of practice; and documented enterprise procedures. These include Safety Manual – Electricity Industry (SM-EI) Wellington: Electricity Engineers’ Association.
A full list of current legislation and industry codes is available from:
Infrastructure Industry Training Organisation
PO Box 1245
Hamilton 3240.
3The phrase in accordance with industry requirements is implicit in all outcomes and evidence requirements in this unit standard.
4Definitions
Asset owner refers to the owner of an electricity supply network that takes its point of supply from Transpower NZ, and delivers electricity to industrial, commercial and residential customers.
Industryrequirementsinclude all asset owner requirements; manufacturers’ specifications, and enterprise requirements which cover the documented workplace policies, procedures, standards, specifications, and business and quality management requirements relevant to the workplace in which assessment is carried out.
5Under the Electricity Amendment Act 2006 the EWRB has a responsibility to set registration criterion for electrical workers and ensure that all persons applying for electrical registration are competent. To be eligible for EWRB registration as substation maintainer, candidates must complete a competency-based New Zealand qualification for substation maintenance. The New Zealand qualification is based on the requirements of the EWRB Teaching Guidelines.
The capstone examinations and practical skill assessments prescribed in the EWRB Teaching Guidelinesfor substation maintenance are structured around the essential capabilities and critical items that are considered relevant to substation maintenance.
6References
AS/NZS 3000: Electrical Installations (known as the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules);
Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010;
Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 - Schedule 2 Electrical codes of practice and official standards;
Electricity Act 1992;
EWRB Teaching Guidelinesavailable from the EWRB at
The New Zealand Electrical Codes of Practice(Ministry of Economic Development, ISSN 0114-0663);
Electricity supply industry codes of practice and documented industry procedures include the current version of the Safety Manual – Electricity Industry (SM-EI)) Wellington: Electricity Engineers’ Association available at
and all subsequent amendments and replacements.
7Candidates are permitted to refer to copies of the above references during assessments.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of regulatory requirements of earthing in electricity supply substations.
Evidence requirements
1.1Terms are defined in accordance with current regulations and industry requirements.
Rangeearthed, earthed situation, earthing system, earth electrode, earth impedance, protective earthing conductor, main earthing conductor.
1.2Reasons for the requirement of low resistance for an earthing system are explained in accordancewithindustry requirements.
1.3Metalwork and equipment that must be earthed are described in accordance with current regulations, codes of practice and industry standards.
Rangemetalwork and equipment forming parts of works in a substation electrical installation.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate knowledge of electrical bonding in an electricity supply substation.
Evidence requirements
2.1Terms are defined in accordancewith current regulations, codes of practice and industry standards.
Rangeelectrical bonding, earth bonding, equipotential bonding.
2.2The need for bonding metalwork and equipment is explained in terms of the elimination of the risk of electric shock, step and touch voltages.
2.3Identifyone situation where the isolation and earthing of outdoor and indoor equipment is required.
2.4Describe the process of applying portable earths to substation equipment while equipment is isolated for maintenance.
2.5Methods of testing earth mats in a substation areexplained.
Outcome 3
Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the Electricity Act 1992 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 including any subsequent amendments.
Rangeprovisions of the Act and regulations relating to – electrical safety, registration and licensing of workers, testing of prescribed electrical work, certification of prescribed electrical work, connection of prescribed electrical work.
Evidence requirements
3.1The Act and regulations relevant to the work of a substation maintainer are explained.
3.2The Act and regulations are applied to given situations within the scope of work performed by a registered substation maintainer.
Outcome 4
Demonstrate and apply knowledge of New Zealand Electrical Codes of Practice and industry standards.
Evidence requirements
4.1The relevant NZECPs and standards for a substation maintainer are explained.
Range includes but is not limited to: NZECP 34, 35
4.2New Zealand Electrical Codes of Practice and industry requirements re applied to given situations within the scope of work performed by registered substation maintainer.
Outcome 5
Demonstrate knowledge of New Zealand Electricity Industry safety standards.
Evidence requirements
5.1The relevant aspects of the SM-EI, parts 1, 2 and 3 for a substation maintainer are explained. Answers and explanations are given in response to questions on aspects of the SM-EI, parts 1, 2, and 3,and codes of practice for the electricity supply industry.
5.2Safety standards are applied to given practical situations within the scope of work performed by registered substation maintainer.
Outcome 6
Demonstrate knowledge of AS/NZS 3000 in regardto the scope of a substation maintainer EWRB registration.
Evidence requirements
6.1The structure of AS/NZS 3000 is described in terms of clauses that are mandatory and how compliance is met.
6.2The fundamental safety outcomes contained in AS/NZS 3000 are explained in terms of protection of people and property.
6.3Testing and verification of electrical work are explained in terms of AS/NZS 3000.
Planned review date / 31 December 2020Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 17 March 2016 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0120
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Infrastructure Industry Training Organisation if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Infrastructure ITOSSB Code 101813 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018