EESS database upgrade (Australian electrical equipment safety certification process)

(The following was received from the EESS secretariat recently, who wanted it circulated in industry…):

The responsible supplier/equipment registration database is being upgraded following feedback from users. The testing of these changes is in final stages and, if they all work, the release of the updates will occur shortly.  An email will be sent to all registered responsible suppliers just prior to the upgrade going live.

Major changes include:

1. The 10 digit supplier number (i.e ERAC000123), which is also the responsible supplier username for logging onto the system, has been simplified to be EX (where X is the digits of the existing supplier number – i.e. the ‘RAC’ of ERAC is removed and the 0’s of the supplier number is removed).
2. So for example a supplier number of ERAC000512 simply becomes E512.This becomes the registration number for all documentation and can be used to mark on a product as the supplier number if required (for example NZ Radio Spectrum Management marking requirement). It also becomes the user name for the responsible supplier to log onto the EESS database, note the responsible supplier password will not change.
   Note: use of the existing 10 digit number on documents and equipment will be recognised as being the valid supplier number issued by ERAC where it has already been marked on equipment or the marking process has already been initiated.
3. The phone number field in responsible supplier details allows for more than 10 digits, as well as the recognition of + for the country code (to allow for NZ company registrations).
4. When registering as a responsible supplier there is now an ‘affiliated supplier’ field for a responsible supplier to nominate the related New Zealand company for which the responsible supplier is taking responsibility for the equipment supplied by that company (and vice versa if the responsible supplier is a New Zealand registered company).
   Affiliated Supplier –  A company that is a related entity to the company registered as a responsible supplier. Affiliated suppliers are limited to Australia/New Zealand related entities. If the responsible supplier is located in Australia the affiliated supplier is the related entity in New Zealand, if the responsible supplier is located in New Zealand the affiliated supplier is the related entity located in Australia.  The responsible supplier (registered in either Australia or New Zealand) registers and takes responsibility for all items supplied by the affiliated supplier . A company listed as an affiliated supplier, by a responsible supplier, does not need to register as a separate responsible supplier.
5. Authorised representatives are now de-selectable or selectable byresponsible suppliers via the ‘edit profile’ section for responsible suppliers.
6. Authorised representatives will be able to add level 1 equipment as well as register level 2 and 3 equipment.
7. Authorised representatives added by a responsible supplier will be able to action any equipment registration of the responsible supplier (not limited to just the equipment the Authorised representative had originally actioned).
8. The ‘details description’ field is no longer mandatory to have data entered.
9. Equipment registration length has been modified to allow choosing 5 year registration option when certificate has less than 5 years, but more than 2 years, before expiry (note the registration expiry date is still linked to the certificate expiry date so choosing the 5 year registration option may only result in, for example, a 4 year 3 month registration if the certificate expires in 4 years and 3 months). Equipment with certificates that expire in 2 years or less will still only be given the 1 or 2 year option.
10. Where a certificate profile has multiple brands and models and the responsible supplier is only importing/manufacturing some of those brands/models, the responsible supplier will now be able to choose via a tick box which models/brands they are a responsible supplier of – or they can choose to select all models/brands of that profile.
11. Level 1 equipment details can now be entered in several different ways
    • existing method,  type / brand (and optional model number)
    • using a csv file to upload detail of multiple equipment (brand and type are still mandatory)
    • inputting a certificate of suitability number to import across the level 1 equipment detail
12. The certificate number of registered equipment will now be viewable in the public search section.
13. Level 1 equipment details will now be searchable in same public viewable location as level 2 and 3 equipment.
14. Receipting errors fixed.
    Uploading of Certificates:
15. The manual upload for certifiers to add details of their certificates is in final stages of testing.
16. The xml process for certifiers to automatically upload their certificate details is being tested with several certifiers.
17. A ‘certificate lock down’ system is being included to limit ability to register certificates to responsible suppliers as chosen by the certificate holder (in general, process will be the certifier will add a password onto the database when uploading certificate details. The certificate holder will give this password to a responsible supplier so the responsible supplier can put in that password to use the certificate details to register equipment).
18. The ‘deed of access’ for certifiers to sign is being finalised (essentially this is a document required to be signed by certifiers to ensure they accept use of the database ‘as is’ and do not add any virus, malicious software, damage the database in any way, that the data they input will be true an correct to best of their knowledge and they will indemnify regulators in regard to use of their data by anyone).

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