The OTR regularly performs audits on electricians, plumbers and gasfitters to ensure their work is safe, complies with rules and regulations, and does not pose a safety risk.

Occasionally some tradespeople continue to perform unsafe work and the OTR publishes notices as a warning to the public. The following are past notices that have been published:

Electricians

• Issued October 2019 - Lario (Larry) Brzovic Public Warning (PDF, 171.1 KB)
  Audits recently carried out on solar PV installations by the OTR in metropolitan and regional areas have identified potentially dangerous electrical work performed by Lario Brzovic of Adelaide Connections Electrical.
• Issued October 2018 - David Dare Public Warning (PDF, 228.1 KB)
  Audits recently carried out on solar PV installations by the OTR in metropolitan and regional areas have identified potentially dangerous electrical work performed by David Dare of Synergy Solar and Electrical Pty Ltd.
• Issued October/December 2017 - Les Durdin Public Warning (PDF, 59.6 KB)
  If you have had electrical work done by Les Durdin or Durdin Electrical, get it checked by a licensed electrician to make sure it is safe and compliant.
• Issued September 2014 - Darrel Shane Stubbs Public Warning (PDF, 66.9 KB)
  Residents from Crystal Brook, Port Pirie and surrounding areas who have recently had electrical work performed by Darrell Shane Stubbs, known as Shane Stubbs, are strongly encouraged to get it checked.
• Issued March 2009 - Samir Eid Media Release (PDF, 184.5 KB)
  Recent audits of electrical contractor Samir Eid has identified that he is performing electrical work that in some cases has created a danger to the property owner and the general public.

Products

• Issued November 2020 - Public Warning - EDECOA Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter (PDF, 604.0 KB)
  The OTR has identified a potentially unsafe energy product, recently available for purchase on eBay.
• Issued June 2019 - Public Warning - Copper Pro Double Grill (PDF, 1.5 MB)
  The OTR has identified a potentially unsafe energy product, recently available for purchase on eBay.
• Issued April 2018 - Public Warning - Wood Burning (PDF, 93.4 KB)
  The practise of using electricity to burn patterns into wood is extremely dangerous and is suspected to have resulted in a recent fatality to a member of the public.

An electrical or gas appliance (or its components) can be recalled and removed from sale if it is unsafe or risks injuring someone. Recalls can be initiated by:

• product suppliers, including retailers, importers, and manufacturers - this is usually a voluntary recall
• state and Australian governments, under the Australian Consumer Law
• the OTR under the Energy Products (Safety and Efficiency) Act 2000 and the Gas Act 1997.

Recalls don't just apply to new products. Many appliances may run well for a number of years before failing, so it is important to be aware of what products have been declared unsafe and recalled.

Product recalls

ACCC Product Safety Australia lists all unsafe electrical and gas products recalled by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and provides further information about what risk they pose to users.

• LG ESS Home Energy Storage System Batteries - Issued September 2023
  The ACCC is recommending consumers take urgent action to check whether their residential energy storage system batteries are subject to a product recall.
  If a battery overheats it may catch on fire and cause injury or death and/or damage to property. Incidents have occurred and caused damage to property.
  Currently known systems that might contain affected batteries include LG branded RESU systems, SolaX Power Station, SolaX X-Cabinet, Opal Storage, Redback SH5000, Red Earth Sunrise, Red Earth Drop Bear, Eguana Evolve and VARTA Pulse Neo.
  To find out if your battery is affected visit https://www.lgessbattery.com/au
  If you need help identifying affected batteries, contact LGESAU by phone on 1300 677 273 or email productau@lgensol.com
  For instructions on what consumers should do visit LG Energy Solution Australia Pty Ltd (formerly LG Chem Australia Pty Ltd) — LG ESS Home Energy Storage System Batteries | Product Safety Australia
  For other queries contact the ACCC and quote PRA 2022/19550.
• Westinghouse black tempered glass gas cooktop - Issued August 2022
  Electrolux Home Products Pty Ltd has issued a voluntary recall notice of the Westinghouse black tempered glass gas cooktop. The glass in the cooktop does not comply with the Domestic Gas Cooking Appliances Standard
  If the glass breaks it may shatter into sharp fragments or shards that may cause serious injury to people using the cooktop, or people nearby.
  Customers can contact Electrolux Home Products by phone on 1800 001 218 (8am and 7pm EST Mon-Fri) or via email at productrecall@electrolux.com.
  Further information can be found on the ACCC Product Safety Australia website.
• Swift 500 series caravan gas cookers -  Issued June 2022
  Swift Group has issued a voluntary recall notice of Swift 500 series caravan gas cookers.
  If the front left burner is used, the piping between the control and burner can potentially fail. This could cause LP gas to leak, resulting in fire or explosion.
  Consumers with affected appliances can contact Swift Appliance Group by phone on 0412 821 912 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm), via email at swiftrecall@outlook.com or visit the Swift Appliance Group website to register their details.
  Further information can be found on the ACCC Product Safety Australia website.
• Battery recall - SolaX / Opal - Issued March 2022
  The ACCC is urging consumers to urgently check if their SolaX or Opal home energy solar systems are affected by dangerous LG solar energy storage batteries which are under recall.
  The batteries can overheat and catch fire, which could lead to property damage, serious injury, or death.
  Consumers can visit the LG Energy Solutions website and use the serial number checker, to identify if their product is recalled. Customers should also contact SolaX Power on 1300 476 529 or email service@solaxpower.com.
  Installers are asked to register their installations on the LG Energy Solution Australia Product Recall Portal to allow for complete and accurate tracing. LG Energy Solution will pay for installers to visit sites and obtain serial numbers if they are not known.
  Further information can be found on the ACCC Product Safety Australia website.
• Battery recall -  LG Energy Solution - Issued February 2021
  The ACCC is urging consumers to urgently check if their LG home energy solar systems (ESS) are affected by dangerous LG solar energy storage batteries which are under recall.
  The batteries can overheat and catch fire, which could lead to property damage, serious injury, or death.
  Consumers can visit the LG Energy Solutions website and use the serial number checker, to identify if their product is recalled. Owners of recalled batteries should immediately contact LG Energy Solution Australia on 1300 677 273 or email productau@lgensol.com to arrange an inspection.
  Installers are asked to register their installations on the LG Energy Solution Australia Product Recall Portal to allow for complete and accurate tracing. LG Energy Solution will pay for installers to visit sites and obtain serial numbers if they are not known.
  Further information can be found on the ACCC Product Safety Australia website.
• Coast RV Pty Ltd water heaters in Suburban brand recreation vehicles -  Issued Nov 2019
  Coast RV Pty Ltd has issued a voluntary recall notice of seven recreational vehicle water heater models from the Suburban brand. Consumers should immediately check if their appliance is affected and if so, cease using the appliance powered by gas.
  If the unit is powered by gas and is operated in an enclosed area, carbon monoxide may spill into the vehicle and poisoning could occur resulting in serious illness, injury or death.
  If you have one of these models, contact Coast RV on (02) 9645 7685. The appliance must NOT be used until rectified by an authorised Suburban agent or dealership.
  Further information can be found in this OTR Safety Alert (PDF, 334.0 KB), and on the ACCC Product Safety Australia website.
• Companion portable butane cartridge stoves -  Issued Nov 2018
  Companion Brands has issued a voluntary recall notice for their Companion portable butane cartridge stoves.
  In some stoves, the gas valve may leak during operation. If the gas valve leaks during operation, there is a risk of explosion or fire, potentially causing injury to consumers or damage to surrounding areas. Consumers should stop using their appliance and return it to Companion Brands or the place of purchase to receive a full refund.
  Consumers can call Companion Brands' customer service line on 1300 555 197 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) or email sales@companionbrands.com.au
  Further information can be found on the ACCC Product Safety Australia website.

The below are safety warnings that the OTR has placed or endorsed on certain products.

• LCC27 LPG Adaptors - Issued January 2024
  The OTR is warning users of LPG gas cylinders against the use of adaptors connecting new LCC27 appliance connectors with old type 21 (POL) cylinder valves. An incident caused by the use of such adaptor occurred in Western Australia resulting in serious burns to a LPG gas cylinder user and requiring hospitalisation. More information:
  • Find out more about the Warning on the use of LP gas (LPG) cylinder adaptors
  • More information on safe practices with LPG gas cylinders can be found on the Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) website
• Open flued gas space heaters - Issued February 2019
  The OTR has placed a safety alert on four open-flued gas space heaters: Regency i31, Regency F38/FG38, Nectre 2000  and Real Flame Pyrotech.
  Further information can be found in this OTR Safety Alert (PDF, 66.0 KB)
• Passive infrared (PIR) sensors - Issued April 2018
  Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) has identified that there is a significant risk of electric shock from identified PIR sensors during installation, service or maintenance work.
  Further information can be found on the ESV website.
• SKL brand thermo-plastic sheath (TPS) electrical cables - Issued Oct 2015
  Testing has identified that SKL brand thermoplastic sheath (TPS) cables marked 2013 - including sizes from 1mm² to 16mm² - do not comply with the ageing and loss of mass tests required by the relevant safety standards. These cables are prone to premature failure and can cause electric shock or fire. While these cables have not been sold in South Australia, consumers should be wary. These cables must not be used.
• Cannon Fitzroy and Canterbury Inbuilt Gas Heaters - Issued June 2015
  A safety notice has been issued for Cannon Fitzroy or Canterbury inbuilt gas heaters built between 20 March 2001 and 8 October 2009 under AGA Approval 6118. Laboratory testing suggests the heaters could produce potentially hazardous levels of carbon monoxide if the heater is subjected to certain conditions.
  Further information can be found on the Cannon Appliances website.
• High voltage combined fuse-switches - Issued February 2015
  Following a fatal incident in Western Australia, the OTR is warning all electrical contractors and owners of electrical infrastructure to take reasonable safe-work precautions when working on any high-voltage, oil-insulated, combined fuse-switches, or any exposed high-voltage parts.
  Further information can be found on the Government of WA's website.
• E-cables branded power cable - Issued November 2014
  Testing has identified a manufacturing defect that means the cable’s insulation is not cross-linked. Therefore, no sizes or configurations of power cable with RE110 insulation - including all SDI sizes 10mm² to 630mm² and multicore sizes 6mm² to 50mm² - comply with relevant safety standards. The cables were sold between January 2011 and June 2014. These cables must not be used.

Plumbing, gas fitting and electrical work in South Australia must be certified using an electronic certificate of compliance (eCoC). These are legal documents required by law.

The eCoC system is free for electrical, gas and plumbing contractors and workers, and enables them to complete, submit, store and refer to certificates of compliance online.

Members of the public cannot directly access the system, though they will be able to receive electronic certificates of compliance from their licensed tradesperson by email from the eCoC system.

If a customer doesn’t have email access, certificates of compliance can be printed by the contractor from the eCoC system and sent by post.

New property owners can request copies of previously issued certificates of compliance from previous owners, or from the OTR through a freedom of information request.

Prepare, submit, and track your certificates on the
eCoC portal

To register

Contractors and workers can access the eCoC portal system on the internet from desktop and mobile devices.

Electrical, gas and plumbing contractors and workers need to complete a one-time registration to use the eCoC system. Contractors/workers need to provide:

• Professional registration/licence number and expiry date
• contractor/worker details
• email address
• a password

Once successfully registered, contractors/workers can log in using just a licence number and password.

To register or sign in, visit the eCoC portal

Filling in and submitting eCoCs

Each new job in the eCoC system is given a unique number. The system saves progress on each certificate of compliance, meaning contractors and workers don’t have to fill in the certificate all at once.

Users can upload images and supporting documents to the eCoC system to submit at the same time as their certificate of compliance.

Non-compliant or potentially dangerous installations

If a contractor or worker notes non-compliant or potentially dangerous installations at a worksite, they can record these in the system. For immediate assistance, call:

• Electrical and gas - 1800 558 811
• Power outages and electric shocks - 131 366 (SA Power Networks)
• Gas escapes or emergencies - 1800 427 532 (National Response Centre)
• Mains water/sewerage network - 1300 729 283 (SA Water)

Alterations

Certificates of compliance in the eCoC system are editable until they are certified by a registered worker. Once the certificate is submitted, it can be emailed and/or printed but can’t be changed.

If errors are made, a replacement certificate of compliance will need to be created.

Timeframes

Certificates of compliance must be submitted within certain timeframes:

• Plumbing certificates of compliance must be submitted within seven days of completing the job.
• Gas certificates of compliance must be submitted within 30 days of completing the job.
• Electrical certificates of compliance must be submitted before making the installation available for energisation,  or as soon as practicable.

Completion by workers or other individuals

If contractors need their workers to complete and/or submit eCoCs, the workers can be added to the contractor's profile on the eCoC system.

Contractors can also nominate other individuals as 'duly authorised agents', who can complete the contractor's section of the eCoC on their behalf.

The eCoC system will store a full record of all certificates of compliance completed by workers and contractors so they can be easily accessed and referred to in the future.

Refer to the Training and Support area below for more information on how to complete an eCoC.

Training and support

Download the user guide for your work below:

• Using eCoC - For Electricians (PDF, 1.1 MB)
• Using eCoC - For Gas Fitters (PDF, 1.1 MB)
• Using eCoC - For Plumbers (PDF, 1003.0 KB)
• Using eCoC to certify a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) (PDF, 426.3 KB)
• Using multiple licences to complete eCoCs (PDF, 513.8 KB)

For additional support, or other questions please use the contact details below.

Contact eCoC

Email

• otr.ecoc@sa.gov.au

Phone

• 8429 3394 (Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4 pm).

The OTR is involved in a range of standards and advisory committees across Australia and New Zealand. This ensures the OTR is involved in the development of new codes, acts, regulations, and standards.

Below is a range of committees the OTR is involved in:

Electrical Technical Advisory Committee

Established under the Electricity Act 1996, the committee includes representatives from licensed electricity entities, electrical contractor and employee associations, local governments and the OTR.

The purpose of the committee is to advise the Technical Regulator on any relevant matters developing in the electrical industry. The members of the committee are listed in the Technical Regulator's annual report each year.

Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council (ERAC)

ERAC is an Australian/New Zealand council that promotes shared uniformity and consistency across regulation of the electricity industries. ERAC meets twice a year with representatives from all Australian and New Zealand provinces, states, and territories.

ERAC aims to develop national strategies to that address the challenges facing the industry. They also cover general matters including electrical installations and inspection, electrical equipment safety, licensing, and supply.

The Standing Council on Energy and Resources (SCER) are advised of issues addressed by ERAC to ensure that ministers and senior officials are involved in developing strategies to support the electricity industry.

Energy Planning and Regulators Coordination Group

This group was established under an agreement involving the OTR, the Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA), and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Although the regulators and AEMO have specific roles within the electricity industry, the coordination group can address the need for a cooperative approach.

This group exchanges information, provides mutual support conducting investigations, and ensures that the three offices involved are aware of activities that can affect their functions. Mutual awareness of these offices leads to an overall improvement in the efficiency and consistency of electricity regulations in South Australia.

Gas Technical Advisory Committee

Established under the Gas Act 1997, the committee includes representatives from licensed gas entities, gas contractor and employee associations, local governments and the OTR.

The purpose of the committee is to advise the Technical Regulator on any relevant matters developing in the gas industry. The members of the committee are listed in the Technical Regulator's annual report each year.

Gas Technical Regulators Committee (GRTC)

The GTRC is an Australian/New Zealand committee that promotes shared uniformity and consistency across regulation of the gas industries. GRTC meets twice a year with representatives from all Australian and New Zealand provinces, states, and territories.

The Standing Council on Energy and Resources (SCER) are advised of issues addressed by GRTC to ensure that ministers and senior officials are involved in developing strategies to support the gas industry.

Issues and topics include:

• the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement
• gas quality standards for natural gas and LPG
• gas appliance certification schemes
• standards for gas appliances, components, and infrastructure
• standards for gas installation work
• safety issues relating to unsafe appliances, installations, and infrastructure
• recalls
• regulatory practices.

To contact the OTR, please select the relevant trade or section below:

• Electrical trades
• Gas trades
• Plumbing trades
• Infrastructure

General enquiries

Phone

• 8226 5500 (Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm)

Post

Office of the Technical Regulator
GPO Box 320
Adelaide SA 5001