G/TBT/N/NZL/117  
22 December 2022  
(22-9702) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment  
PO BOX 1473  
Wellington 6140  
www.mbie.govt.nz  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding t he notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Consumer Policy  
Consumer@mbie.govt.nz  
Ph: +64 4 901 1499  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
7616.99.90 – Aluminum articles not elsewhere classified  
7326.90.30 - Other articles of iron or steel, Other, Ladders and steps  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Discussion 
paper: Multipurpose ladders – Transitioning to a new safety standard 14 pages in English 
(14 page(s), in English) to be provided separately.  
Australian Standard: AS 1892.1:2018  
https://store.standards.org.au/product/as -1892-1-2018; (132 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:   
A multipurpose ladder is a portable ladd er with joints which allow it to be folded and 
rearranged to function as a single - or double -sided ladder, or other configurations. Since 
November 2012, the sale, supply or importation of multipurpose ladders which do not 
comply with official standards has  been prohibited due to injuries attributable to structural 
and stability failures.  
Multipurpose ladders are currently regulated under the 'Unsafe Goods Notice 
(Multipurpose Ladders) 2021' (the Notice ), enabling the sale, support  and importation of 
ladders in compliance with Australian Standard, AS 1892.1:2018 Portable ladders, Part 
1: Performance and geometric requirements (the 2018 Standard), or Australian and New 
Zealand Standard, AS/NZS 1892.1:1996 (the 1996 Standard). The Not ice was intended G/TBT/N/NZL/117  
 
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  as a transitional notice allowing for industry to sell old stock that was tested against the 
1996 Standard and is due to expire on 5 April 2023.  
The proposed measure will replace the existing Notice by establishing new regulations 
under se ction 29 of the Fair -Trading Act to require all multipurpose ladders to comply 
with the existing 2018 Standard. The existing 2018 Standard will supersede the 1996 
Standard with the aim of providing a greater level of protection to users of multipurpose 
ladders. Key differences between the existing 2018 and 1996 standard include:  
1.1 test report requirements to standardise the type of documentation required to 
substantiate compliance with the regulations.  
1.2 labelling requirements which are clearer and sign ificantly more prescriptive, including 
new warnings about misuse and electrical hazards, and requirements for larger fonts and 
higher contrast;  
1.3 the 'higher stability' categorisation uses stability test procedures involving higher 
forces than the standa rd stability requirements;  
1.4 work platform and step stool requirements.  
Almost all multipurpose ladders on the New Zealand market already comply with the 
existing 2018 standard. Those that do not are expected to comply by April 2023.  
This proposal would require multipurpose ladders sold in future to comply with AS 
1892.1:2018. An alternative would be to continue allowing both the Previous Standard 
and the Current Standard.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems  where 
applicable:  The purpose of this measure is to improve the safety of multipurpose ladders 
available for sale on the New Zealand market, including through preventing failures such 
as collapse when in use.; Consumer information, labelling; Prevention o f deceptive 
practices and consumer protection; Protection of human health or safety; Consumer 
information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer protection; 
Protection of human health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:   
Discussion paper:  Multipurpose ladders – Transitioning to a new safety standard 14 pages 
in English (14 page(s), in English) will be provided separately.  
Australian Standard: AS 1892.1:2018  
https://store .standards.org.au/product/as -1892-1-2018 (132 page(s), in English)  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  1 March 2023  
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 April 2023  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
New Zealand TBT Enquiry Point  
Standards New Zealand  
Phone: +64 4 498 5990  
Email: wto@standards.co.nz  
Website: www.standards.govt.nz  
MBIE Consumer Policy – consumer@mbie.govt.nz