Recognised External Certification Scheme (RECS)

A company which conducts a scheme for the certification of In-Scope electrical equipment may apply to a Regulatory Authority (RA) for the scheme to be declared a Recognised External Certification Scheme (RECS). Currently, only Queensland ESO is accepting RECS’ applications. RECS declared by a participating jurisdiction of the Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS) is recognised by all participating jurisdictions.

The application must be made to the RA using an approved form. The application will include an appropriate declaration and be supported by other documentation as required, demonstrating independence and suitability to certify.

The regulator has a review process for consideration of RECS, which includes publishing a submission notice of intention to declare the scheme to be a RECS. The submission notice will specify at least 14 days during which responses to the proposed RECS must be accepted and considered by the regulator.

The term of the declared scheme is for five years.

Among other requirements, a RECS must be independent of the Responsible Supplier and any party involved in the manufacture, importation, consultation or sale of the electrical equipment being certifying. RECS must follow the Equipment Safety Rules.

RECS are not to be agents or activists for manufacturers and importers or applicants for a certificate. They do not lobby on behalf of certificate holders or engage in activities to justify a product should be certified if it has not met the requirements for certification in the equipment safety rules (activities such as these are the role of a ‘consultant’ and a RECS is not independent if they act as a consultant).

The role of a RECS is to:

enable independent verification of compliance documentation;
decide if the documentation is sufficient to show compliance to the requirements of the Equipment Safety Rules; and
issue the certificate attesting to that decision.

The RECS acts to ensure equipment that does not meet the equipment safety rules does not obtain a certificate.

Note: A RECS may act as an Authorised Representative for a Responsible Supplier to whom they have issued a certificate. This would be, for example, to register the equipment on the Responsible Supplier Database on behalf of the Responsible Supplier on the same day they have issued the certificate (this process is not seen as ‘consultancy’).

Note: RECS cannot make the initial Responsible Supplier declaration, only an Authorised Officer from the Responsible Supplier can do that.

Recognised External Certification Schemes (RECS)

For level 3 Certificates of Conformity and level 1 and level 2 Certificates of Suitability

Note 1: All certificate details issued by a RECS in accordance with the Equipment Safety Rules are uploaded to the EESS Certification Database.

Note 2: As some RECS have dual accreditation as REAS, it is recommended to specify you are seeking a certificate issued under the RECS scheme.