Organising Compliance

1. Compliance starts with testing

Electrical compliance isn’t just paperwork — it’s proof. Every Certificate of Compliance (COC), Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC), or Record of Inspection (ROI) demonstrates that the work was performed, tested, compliant, and safe at the time it was carried out.

To comply with New Zealand electrical and health and safety regulations, PCBUs must ensure that electrical work is performed by licensed workers, properly tested, and documented to show it was safe and compliant when completed.

coc.nz helps ensure those steps are both done and documented, linking the testing results directly with the certificate that records compliance on the day.

2. Closing the loop — from request to recorded compliance

There is natural gaps between a job being requested, completed, and the final certificate being connected with its test record. These gaps often arise from human factors — if creating a certificate feels like a long, tedious process, workers are less likely to finish it straight away or may not fully include all relevant test results and attachments.

coc.nz reduces that friction by integrating testing and record-keeping into a single, practical process. It walks the worker through the relevant tests and automatically ties the results to the certificate as they go. That keeps the documentation practical, consistent, and complete in one flow — reducing the chance of missing or delayed compliance records.

The portal is worker-centric and supportive, making it straightforward to use and encouraging real engagement with the compliance process rather than treating it as an administrative burden.

3. Proof of testing — protection for everyone

When something goes wrong later — a fault, an incident, or a WorkSafe enquiry — what matters most is being able to show that the work was tested, compliant, and safe on the day it was done.

There could be limited visible ways for a PCBU to demonstrate that electrical work was performed correctly and met safety requirements at the time. An official New Zealand Certificate of Compliance (COC) or Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC) provides strong supporting evidence, especially when it includes the test results that demonstrate the testing was carried out, compliant, and safe at the time of testing.

A completed certificate with attached results gives the organisation clear documentation of it's process. It shows that the work was carried out correctly, the required checks were done, and the PCBU took reasonable steps to ensure electrical safety. That record protects the worker, management, companies, and the electrical industry as a whole — showing that everyone involved acted responsibly and in line with New Zealand’s safety expectations.

4. Accountability and traceability

Every certificate generated through coc.nz is tied to the licensed person responsible for performing and testing the work. That creates a clear, auditable chain of accountability that supports organisational oversight and due diligence.

It means that when questions arise — whether from management, auditors, insurers, or regulators — the organisation can quickly trace who carried out the work, when it was tested, and what results were recorded at the time. Because each certificate includes the associated test results, every record shows not just that a job was signed off, but that it was verified by testing.

The traceability of a date-stamped certificate with included test results builds confidence that the organisation’s compliance process is complete and defensible, and helps eliminate doubt that the certificate could have been produced after the fact.

5. Timely delivery — connecting the right records

Under the Electricity (Safety) Regulations, the law allows up to 20 working days to provide a Certificate of Compliance (COC) or Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC) after work is completed. While this timeframe meets legal obligations, in practical terms it can leave a window of exposure — a period where the work has been completed but the official record of its safety has not yet been issued.

If an issue arises during that window and the test results have not yet been recorded in a date-stamped document, it can be difficult for an organisation to demonstrate that the testing was carried out and the work was compliant and safe at the time of completion. For example, in the wine industry, an entire harvest could be completed within twenty working days — placing the whole harvest within that potential window of exposure before the official certificate is received.

There is also significant exposure in that, after an event or enquiry, it becomes possible for retrospective test results to be created. Even the perception that results could have been produced after the fact introduces doubt and makes it harder to defend the original work and demonstrate that compliance was achieved at the time of testing.

coc.nz can reduce this window of exposure by ensuring that testing is recorded and the certificate is generated and received before the job is formally closed and released back into service. This means the record of testing and compliance exists immediately, giving both the organisation and the responsible worker confidence that the documentation is complete, traceable, and current — and provides clear proof that the certification was carried out before the fact.

A tragic 2024 Nelson District Court case (NZDC 3910) served as a reminder of the importance of proper electrical testing and maintaining accurate, documented records.

6. Supporting organisational compliance systems

The coc.nz approach can help support existing organisational compliance and safety systems. It provides clear, traceable documentation that’s easy to file, review, and audit. Because certificates and test results are generated promptly and recorded with date-stamped accuracy, organisations can be confident that their compliance records remain current, robust, and defensible.

7. Closing the compliance loop

coc.nz may complement the organisational compliance loop by helping ensure that electrical testing and certification are recorded, traceable, and delivered in a timely manner.

Job requested → Work completed → Tested → Certified → Distributed → Compliance confirmed → Job closed and released back into service.

By reinforcing the link between field activity and documented evidence, coc.nz supports stronger assurance and reduces the gaps that can appear between the work being done and the record of its compliance.