Overview of the National Register of Compliant Equipment
Newsflash
The National Marine Safety Committee is not currently accepting new applications for listing on the National Register of Compliant Eqiupment (NRCE). Please call the NMSC if you require further detail.
Introduction to the Register
What is the National Register of Compliant Equipment (NRCE)
How is the NRCE controlled and operated?
Why have a National Register?
Advantages of Listing on the Register
Is listing on the NRCE mandatory?
Does listing on the NRCE indicate high quality products?
Confidentiality
What is Approval for Listing?
The approval for listing process
What is Compliance?
The compliance appraisal process
Audit
How long does a product remain listed on the Register?
Withdrawal of approval
Is there a fee for listing products on the NRCE?
Policy and Procedures, Application Form and Standards
Introduction to the Register
This is the web site for the National Register of Compliant Equipment (NRCE), which lists details of products suitable for use in marine safety applications.
This Register is administered by the National Marine Safety Committee. All enquiries about this Register should be directed to the Register Administrator at:
Telephone: (02) 6279 5865
Facsimile: (02) 6279 5634
Email: secretariat@nmsc.gov.au
and marked to the attention of the NRCE Administrator.
What is the National Register of Compliant Equipment (NRCE)
The National Register of Compliant Equipment (NRCE) is a register of products and systems (appliances) that have been confirmed to be compliant with the requirements of the relevant Sections of the Uniform Shipping Laws (USL) Code/National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) or the National Standard for Recreational Boat Safety Equipment (NSRB — SE).
The National Marine Safety Committee (NMSC) has established the NRCE to inform naval architects, builders, operators and local authorities that a marine product or system will fulfil the requirements of the relevant sections of the USL Code/ NSCV or the NSRB — SE.
Products or systems approved for listing on the NRCE have been independently appraised and demonstrated to comply with the requirements of the relevant sections of those standards. The types of safety products accepted as compliant with the NSRB — SE are confined to personal floatation devices (PFDs), flares and navigation lights.
How is the NRCE controlled and operated?
The Register is subject to operation in accordance with the NRCE Policy and Procedures. This policy was developed and is maintained by the NMSC. A copy of the policy can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. The appliances accepted for inclusion on the NRCE have been appraised by a product certification body or testing and listing authority recognised by the NMSC (referred to as a recognized appraiser).
Why have a National Register?
The concept of the NRCE was created by the National Marine Safety Committee through consultation with its stakeholders, to provide a common source of information about compliant marine safety product acceptable to all State/Territory marine authorities.
An item approved for listing can be centrally and clearly recognised throughout Australia as fit for purpose in compliance with the USL Code / NSCV or the NSRB — SE. Product certification / testing and listing provides confidence in the equipment/system as long as it is used in accordance with the specified conditions of the Appraiser Report.
Advantages of Listing on the Register
Listing on the Register should provide nationwide recognition that all State/Territory marine authorities approve the product or system for use on domestic commercial vessels or recreational boats, as applicable. The total cost of compliance assessment and listing (including testing and appraisal) compares favourably with the time and expense of approaching each individual marine authority directly for approval or acceptance.
Is listing on the NRCE mandatory?
No, products may be submitted to individual State/Territory marine authorities for acceptance approval in each area of jurisdiction where it will be used. However listing on the NRCE is the only source commonly acceptable to more than one State/Territory marine authority for checking compliance of the same product, and it is in the interests of suppliers to use this single point of listing.
Does listing on the NRCE indicate high quality products?
The NRCE leaves quality of the individual product to be determined by the market place and thus listing indicates only that the Applicant declares that the product meets the requirements of the NRCE Policy and Procedures. This policy calls for an annual audit to ascertain that technical compliance of the product with the USL Code/NSCV or the NSRB—SE is maintained throughout the life of the product listing.
Confidentiality
The NMSC regards information received during the processing of any application for listing on the NRCE as confidential.
What is Approval for Listing?
Approval for Listing on the National Register of Compliant Equipment (NRCE) is recognition that a marine safety product or system meets the requirements of the relevant Sections of the USL Code/ NSCV or the NSRB — SE. The types of safety products accepted as compliant with the NSRB — SE for the purposes of listing on the Register are confined to personal floatation devices (PFDs), flares and navigation lights.
Approval for listing is administered by the NMSC.
The approval for listing process
A marine safety product or system will only be listed on the NRCE following consideration of an application, which includes the details of the Applicant, a declaration that an ongoing compliance audit plan is in place, and an accompanying Appraiser Report indicating compliance with the USL Code / NSCV or the NSRB — SE in accordance with the NRCE Policy and Procedures. Applicants should familiarise themselves with the NRCE Policy and Procedures before commencing the approval for listing process. The procedure to have a product listed on the NRCE is a two-stage process.
Firstly, the Applicant must have the product appraised by an independent product certification body or testing and listing authority (recognized appraiser) to establish compliance with the USL Code / NSCV or the NSRB — SE. This recognized appraiser will issue an Appraiser Report. The applicant must also establish an ongoing compliance audit program with an independent product certification body or testing and listing authority.
Secondly, the Applicant submits to the NRCE Administrator the correctly completed application form, the Appraiser Report, and the required audit declaration (contained on the application form). The application form must have the declaration signed to be valid.
The NRCE Administrator will list the product details on the Register and issue a letter confirming the listing details, provided that the NRCE Administrator is satisfied that the Appraiser Report verifies that, if manufactured, installed and/or serviced as specified in the appraisal, the product or system will comply with the specified provisions of the USL Code / NSCV or the NSRB — SE, and that the product or system is subject to periodic scrutiny for compliance via audit.
What is Compliance?
Compliance is recognition that marine safety product or system design and manufacture meets the requirements of the relevant Sections of the USL Code / NSCV or the NSRB — SE. Compliance can apply to new and innovative products and systems for which internationally recognised test protocols exist, as well as to existing commonly used products and systems. Compliance with the USL Code / NSCV or the NSRB — SE can be demonstrated by submission of an Appraiser Report from a recognised product certification body or testing and listing authority.
The compliance appraisal process
The compliance appraisal process is essentially the technical evaluation of a product or system by an appraiser. This is carried out by direct consultation with the recognized appraiser of choice. The compliance appraisal process culminates in the issuing of an Appraiser Report.
Role of the Appraiser
In general the role of the Appraiser is to:
- Verify that product testing is conducted in accordance with predetermined standards.
- Review design and installation manual, if applicable.
- Identify product limitations, if any.
- Verify integrity and reliability of product system, if applicable.
- Have a follow-up audit program available.
- Publish a list of equipment, if applicable.
- Provide product certification.
Guidance indicating those considered by the NMSC to be recognized appraisers and the required content of an Appraiser Report is contained on the Guide for Application page.
Audit
To ensure that products or systems that are listed continue to be manufactured as compliant product, product certification systems provide for an annual independent audit program. The applicant will be required to ensure that an annual audit is undertaken by a recognised appraiser to determine that the product remains unchanged from the original appraisal. Under the terms of the Register’s Policy and Procedures, the applicant will also be required to immediately inform the NRCE Administrator of any failure of the product or system to remain compliant, either at the time of audit or at any time between audits.
How long does a product remain listed on the Register?
Listing on the Register will be valid for a period of five (5) years. The currency of an appraisal must be maintained during the life of the Listing. After the five (5) year listing period, the product has “expired” and must be re-listed.
Products or systems can be re-listed in five (5) year increments. Re-listing requires provision of a new application form reflecting product/applicant information current at the time of re-listing and an updated Appraiser Report evidencing compliance applicable to the new listing period. The NRCE Administrator may change the status of a listing to "Approval Withdrawn" if the renewal process has not been completed by the due date.
Six (6) months before expiry date, the proprietor will be sent a notice that the product or system listing is due to expire.
Withdrawal of approval for listing
Withdrawal
The Registration of Approval incorporates the capacity for withdrawal of approval in the following circumstances:
- Changes to the product or system such that it no longer complies with the provisions of the USL Code / NSCV or the NSRB — SE against which it was appraised.
- Changes in the USL Code / NSCV or the NSRB — SE such that the product or system no longer complies.
- Changes to the product or system such that description in the original application no longer applies.
- Unsatisfactory annual audit report by the Appraiser.
- Withdrawal by the Applicant.
- Reduction in after sales support, manufacturer product recall or other change in the Applicants business status that negatively impacts on the product or system.
- Misrepresentation or concealment of the facts by the Applicant or Appraiser.
- Failure of the product in service, where it can be shown that the failure resulted from sub-standard design or manufacture.
Notice of Withdrawal
Where an approval to list is withdrawn, the NRCE Administrator will advise the manufacturer or supplier of the reasons for withdrawal and what action is required for reinstatement.
Details of all approvals that are withdrawn are noted on the register for 12 months after the date of withdrawal, unless the approval is reinstated. Where the approval is not reinstated, the product listing is removed from the register 12 months after withdrawal.
Is there a fee for listing products on the NRCE?
Yes. The NMSC National Register of Compliant Equipment scheme is aimed at cost recovery. The NRCE Administrator's costs of considering an application for certification are recovered by way of a fee structure comprised of two (2) components:
1. Annual Subscription Fee (includes joining fee).
2. Product Listing Fee.
Details of the Fee Schedule and payment are provided on the Guidance for Application page.
Policy and Procedures, Application Form and Standards
The latest versions of the Register of Compliant Equipment Policy and Procedures and the Application Form are available for viewing and download below. Downloading the Policy and Procedures is in .pdf format. Before you can view the contents of a .pdf file, you must download and install a copy of Adobe's Acrobat® Reader™ software. This is provided free of charge by Adobe..
Policy and Procedures
(See separate document)
Application Form
(See separate document)
Standards
The relevant Sections of the National Standard for Commercial Vessels, the Uniform Shipping Laws Code and the National Standard for Recreational Boat — Safety Equipment are available from the Documents page of this website