Not all Fridges are Created Equal

When it comes to product or appliance safety, the majority of buyers might well assume that every product they buy comes with equal levels of compliance with international safety standards. The regulations in New Zealand and Australia require that commercial refrigerating appliances comply with AS/NZS 60335.2.89, which is the locally badged version of IEC 60335.2.89 with minor regional variations.  However, there is little or no enforcement of this until a safety incident is investigated by the authorities.

SKOPE ensures all our products (whether made in New Zealand or offshore) are fully compliant with the required standard, through a combination of stringent in-house and independent testing. SKOPE partners with Haier in China and the products they make are subjected to SKOPE’s rigorous compliance and testing processes, to ensure they are of the standard New Zealand and Australian customers expect and fully compliant to the AS/NZS standard.

Ensuring that all products are compliant with the standards can be costly, requiring independent lab testing and ensuring key components used throughout the product are also safety compliant in their own right. SKOPE has become aware over recent years of cheaper imported products entering the market that appear not to comply, indicating that the suppliers are avoiding compliance costs and therefore introducing potential risks to owners and users of these products.

What should you be looking for when you buy new commercial refrigeration?

1. Is the product, brand or supplier registered on the ERAC website?
   
2. Commercial refrigeration comes under the scope of the AU/NZ Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS) which means that anyone putting commercial refrigeration on the market must be registered as a Responsible Supplier and must also register the brands and classes of equipment they are supplying.
3. Check the MEPS database to see if the products are included. If the cabinets are not included on the MEPS website, then they do not meet the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 which covers requirements for energy efficiency.
4. Request documentation from the importer to show evidence the equipment complies with the AU/NZ standard.
5. Look out for the RCM mark on the appliance, whjch demonstrates the manufacturer/supplier is a registered “Responsible Supplier”.

SKOPE Stringent Safety Compliance Process:

When buying SKOPE products, you have our assurance that all our products comply with all the required standards and regulations.

• All key design and production staff across the business have a clear understanding of compliance standards that need to be met to meet the relevant regulations.
• The design and development team ensures all components chosen for new products are quality components compliant with the relevant standards.
• Development products are comprehensively tested within our own ISO 2353-2 certified testing chamber, with sample products submitted to independently accredited testing labs across Australasia and overseas.
• SKOPE ensures that all key components are independently tested and certified before being selected for use in a SKOPE branded product.
• SKOPE is a registered Responsible Supplier and our in-scope product class and brands can be found on the ERAC website.
• SKOPE’s company mission “depend on us” is one of our primary motivations for ensuring every product we sell is certified safe.