New Zealand Electrical Inspectors Association | March 2026
The Electricity (Safety) Amendment Regulations 2025 (ESAR25), effective 13 November 2025, removed clauses 2.3.2.1.2(b) and (c) from AS/NZS 3000:2018 (the Wiring Rules) as they apply in New Zealand. Those clauses previously prohibited the installation of switches or fuses in a protective earth (PE) conductor or a protective earth neutral (PEN) conductor. The removal of these prohibitions has generated serious concern within the New Zealand electrical industry, and NZEIA urges electrical workers to exercise extreme caution.
There are two types of neutral, one being the “mains PEN” or main neutral coming into an installation pre the MEN connection in that installation (also a MEN submain) and a neutral with a PEC (protective earth conductor, where the earth conductor and neutral are not connected downstream via a link) post the MEN connection, like circuits to socket outlets, heating, and EV chargers etc. It is the “mains PEN” that NZEIA is most concerned about, this is because when that is open circuit the active being live now comes through the MEN connection and livens the main earth bar up and livens all things connected to that earth bar, like the oven, hot water cylinder, and any earth bonded equipment.
Because our Earth electrode is now ineffectual (being over 100 ohms typically) to trip most MCB/fuse protection within the installation or the service fuse, the earthed equipment stays live at lethal voltages.
Being the first country in the world to allow the one conductor that keeps the multiple earth neutral (MEN) installations at the same voltage as the rest of New Zealand (aka ‘body of earth’) to be switched caused industry uproar over the new “lethal” electrocution risk created. Although WorkSafe defended the change was to “improve EV charging and disaster resilience”, they initiated a review due to safety concerns from the New Zealand Electrical Inspectors Association, Master Electricians and Engineering New Zealand. Discussions are ongoing.
WorkSafe advises electrical practitioners not to install a switch, or other device that has a switching function, into a protective earth conductor or a PEN conductor unless they are following a document, issued or cited pursuant to the Electricity Act, which explicitly provides details on when particular
switching is appropriate.
