Anybody who designs or supervises the design of works, installations, fittings, or appliances must ensure that the finished design will be electrically safe when it is constructed, installed, or manufactured.

A certified design is part of the necessary risk management framework. This enables all parties that influence the safety of completed work to be identified – including their responsibilities, liability and accountability.

For a design to be considered certified when it is being relied on to install, test, inspect and connect installations it must demonstrate compliance with legislation and electrical safety. The design must also include the following:

• The designer must be clearly identifiable on the design, with the date and their signature,
• The location, or proposed location, must be on the design,
• The design should identify any standard the installation complies with or is intended to comply.

Electricity regulations mandate certified designs for high voltage installations and any installation being installed in accordance with Part 1 of AS/NZS3000.

The establishment of the design can be made by:

• an electrician who will construct the installation,
• an electrician independent from the construction,
• a competent person,
• an engineer.

In compliance with the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010; regulations 14 and 58:

A design may be certified, and may be relied on for installations work (Regulation 58(external link)).

Regulation 14(external link) makes it an offence to complete a design – including supervision of the design process – which if constructed would not be electrically safe.