Many certification and compliance marks have become household names over the years—UL and VDE come to mind—but some seem to fly under the radar. Despite having originated in 2012 as the new Australian regulatory compliance mark (RCM), the mark (a checkmark inside a circle inside a triangle) seems to have taken on a subdued role in the land of compliance marks. The latest mark replaced the A-Tick and C-Tick marks respectively in 2012 for AS/NZS. The A-Tick and C-Tick would still have a four-year grace period, expiring in 2016. Anything produced after that would need the new RCM. However, documentation also noted that old stock could still be used after 2016. If importing to Australia, the best course of action would be to contact the compliance agency directly (New South Wales Fair Trading) to clarify the current regulation in case it conflicts with past iterations of the regulation.
| The A-Tick Mark |
The C-Tick Mark |
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| So, what about the letters and numbers that most consumers are familiar with on Australian electrical cord plugs and other products? (NSW23748)? The letters represent New South Wales” as in New South Wales Fair Trading, a regulatory agency self-described on its own website as, “ . . . promotes a fair marketplace for consumers and traders by maximizing traders' compliance with regulatory requirements. . . . In doing so, Fair Trading also seeks to educate and engage with both consumers and traders on issues that affect their rights and obligations. As a regulator, the main concern is to minimize any direct financial or material harm or detriment to a consumer from a business that fails to comply with the law.” |
The New AS/NZS CRM Mark (2012) |
One electrical guru who’s spent over 25 years of experience in an engineer’s role answering questions other engineers often can’t, said, “Everyone I know in the electrical business has seen these letters and numbers embossed on plugs, sockets, and other products. We all know about New South Wales Fair Trading. Same with the A- and C-Tick marks. I also have seen the new logo with the checkmark. But that it’s been around since 2012 is the surprising thing.”
The “checkmark” logo, as did its A- and C-Tick predecessors, recognizes compliance with regulations under AS/NZS 4417.1 and 4417.2 in Australia and New Zealand for the marking of electrical products. It is referred to officially as the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM). The new mark was created to make it easier for consumers both visually and costwise: “The move to one single mark helps reduce red tape for industry and save costs. One mark to represent compliance to both schemes, and the removal of the need to track and mark equipment with unique approval/certificate numbers saves time and money. The symbol will also be easier to recognize by consumers.”
